BJP’s Tamil trauma

The crowds thronging to the temples have never dwindled, ever since the dislodging of the Congress ministry and DMK grabbing the power in 1967. The Dravida party came in with their anti-Hindi agitations. The aversion of the forcible imposition of Hindi continues to be exploited by the Dravidian parties to safeguard their electoral fortunes.

In the meanwhile, the Dravida parties, which owe their roots to Periyar, a reformist, who insisted that there is no God, and the believers in God were Barbarians steered away from the atheist philosophies. This what somewhat similar to wives and kin of the Communist leaders visiting temples, openly or on the sly.

The Dravida party vertically split into two, the DMK led by Karunanidhi and the AIADMK led by the cine hero-turned-politician M.G. Ramachandran. Several casteist outfits also showed up; Vanniyars, Dalits, OBCs, etc., while the religious minorities already existed in strength. Mainstream National parties were always an ‘also-ran’ with the Dravida parties and were at the mercy of the latter for being any relevance politically. The fall of Congress from the sixties could never be made up.

Neither did BJP do well in the southern state. Leaders, including PM Modi, tried to appease influential persons like Rajnikanth, to no avail, leaving the ground open for another AIADMK Vs DMK showdown. The DMK could earlier rope in parties of Vaiko (MDMK), Thirumavalavan (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) or Captain Vijaykanth (DMDK) into their united front but this time the scenario seems different. The Indian Union Muslim League too could be fighting alone and not under the united opposition of the DMK and the INC. The scenario is certainly not a palatable one for MK Stalin, the leader of DMK.

The leaders of the two major factions of the AIADMK, E Pazhani Sami, the present CM, and O Panner Selvam, on the other hand, have smoked a peace pipe and settled the CM issue for the post-2021 scenario.  The balance could have been in favour of DMK, but for the sudden revolt from the alliance members.

BJP perhaps have understood the impossibility of tearing into the Tamil bastion, similar like it cannot in Bengal, under the present scenario and have shifted their attention to the North and perhaps, Kerala. Having failed to conquer the Dakshin from across the Vindhyas, they may attempt the Malabar coast like anyone else known in history.

The desperate and directionless move like admitting people like Kushboo, who has shifted her allegiances thrice in the last decade, will not add value to the image of the BJP.  Rajani for all that matter is in no hurry to enter politics in 2021 or any time later. Kamal has also turned out to be a non-starter and a political novice as against the powerful Dravidian parties. 

It will be fun to watch the unfolding of TN politics as the polls get closer. Oh! Did I forget to mention the Congress? That was not unintended!

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix