By Venkatachari JagannathanChennai, May 10 : Politics in Tamil Nadu is going to revolve around three different ideologies and not mainly around personalities that is what has become clear following the humiliating defeat of actors like Kamal Haasan, Vijayakant and R.Sarathkumar floated parties, as well as that of politician T.T.V.Dhinakaran’s AMMK party, said political strategists and analysts.
“The major outcome of 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly poll is the settlement of the leadership issue in the state with DMK under its President M.K.Stalin winning it.The other outcome is that the reemergence of three different ideologies — Dravidianism by DMK (social justice, state autonomy, self respect, rationalism), Tamil Nationalism (Liberation of Language pride and Land ) by Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and Nationalism/Hindutva by the BJP — around which the state politics will revolve,” Jhon Arokiasamy, political strategist told IANS.
“Stalin proclaiming himself ‘Belongs to the Dravidian stock’ on his Twitter handle shows that the ruling party will go full steam on Dravidianism against NTK’s Tamil Nationalism,” an analyst not wanting to be quoted told IANS.
Political analysts said the AIADMK has the word Dravida in its name but it does not profess it like that of DMK.
For a long time Tamil Nadu politics was dominated by personalities like actor-turned-politician and AIADMK Founder M.G.Ramachandran (MGR) and successor J.Jayalalithaa and DMK’s M.Karunanidhi.Now none of the three are alive.
On the other hand, the existing leaders like Chief Minister and DMK President M.K.Stalin, former Chief Ministers of AIADMK K.Palaniswami and O.Panneerselvam are not towering personalities like that of MGR, Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi.
“Stalin has established himself as the leader winning the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the recently concluded assembly polls.Leaders emerge winning polls which Stalin has done twice,” Arokiasamy reiterated.
Analysts said the Tamil Nadu assembly poll results are not based on personalities but on issues or anti-incumbency factors against the AIADMK party that was in power for 10 years.
Tamil actor Rajinikanth after announcing his entry into Tamil Nadu politics with his ‘spiritual politics’ ideology later backed out citing coronavirus spread.
“The problem with Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) ideology ‘Centrism’ is very confusing and nobody understands that,” political analyst Kolahala Srenivaas told IANS.
“Kamal Haasan failed in the three Ps formula for a third alternative – Purpose, Position and Performance.He didn’t have a clue as to how to position himself as an alternative.His ideology or Purpose was not clear and Performance was also bad.His party was not at all visible.It will be difficult for him from now as the novelty factor has vanished,” said an analyst.
Kamal Haasan, touted as the Chief Ministerial candidate, was defeated by BJP candidate Vanathi Srinivasan in Coimbatore (South) constituency.
The MNM party secured about two per cent vote share down from about four per cent secured in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.
Similar was the case with DMDK floated by another actor-turned-politician Vijayakant.
While Vijayakant was not able to contest due to his health condition, his wife and party Treasurer Premalatha lost badly in Virudhachalam seat.
The party got a mere 0.43 per cent vote share with all its candidates losing miserably.
Riding solo during the past three elections NTK notched up about seven per cent vote share or about 30 lakh votes and became the third largest party after DMK and AIADMK with MNM, AMMK and DMDK trailing far behind.
Seeman, NTK’s founder is the sole and star campaigner for the party.However, his party is known for espousing Tamil Nationalism ideology than him being a former movie director and an actor.
“Seeman can target the population segment that are not beneficiaries (mostly forward castes) of the government schemes,” Raveendhran Dhuraiswamy told IANS.
Citing the four seats won by BJP in the assembly polls an analyst said Hindu vote consolidation has happened.
“If in 2024 Lok Sabha polls BJP does not win then its nationalistic plank will not be able overtake the Tamil Nationalism ideology of NTK,” an analyst said.
(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians
.
