CHENNAI: Should Tamil Nadu get ready for yet another DMK dynast to enter the ring? It may no longer be a question of ‘whether’ but ‘when’, as DMK working president M K Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi is itching to get into the thick of action with some prodding from his mother Durga to help his overworked dad.
An actor to boot, Udhayanidhi would join the likes of big stars like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan entering politics. Also actor-director K Bhagyaraj intends to re-enter politics and Vishal wants himself counted in, so the political melting pot is getting more interesting. Sharing his thoughts with an online portal, Udhayanidhi said, “Many actors have now entered politics. Maybe it’s time for me to do likewise.”
Udhayanidhi claims he is a born politician. “DMK blood is running in my veins. Before entering film industry, I was active in politics. But because I hail from a political family, I faced many vindictive actions and my films faced troubles. I did election work for Murasoli Maran and Dayanidhi Maran too. I accompanied my father during his political visits to different parts of the State. But after entering the film industry, I kept myself away from politics,” Udhayanidhi says. He has acted in nine films so far.
Nearly five decades ago, DMK president M Karunanidhi attempted to groom his eldest son M K Muthu as an actor as a counter to M G Ramachandran (MGR) but failed. Muthu acted in eight films and sang songs for a few of them. In the early 1970s, fan clubs were started in his name just to counter MGR. Stalin succeeded where Muthu failed.
Stalin, who started his political career even during his school days, rose in the leadership ladder amid continued criticism that Karunanidhi was encouraging dynasty politics.
Stalin, who started his political career even during his school days, rose in the leadership ladder amidst continued criticism that Karunanidhi was encouraging dynasty politics.
Other dynasts followed: siblings M K Alagiri and Kanimozhi and nephew Dayanidhi Maran.
Reacting to the new sonrise, political analyst Raveenthran Thuraiswamy says, “Primarily, it is not good for DMK to bring in another member of Karunanidhi family into politics.
That too at a time when the party lost its deposit in RK Nagar by-election. Karunanidhi allowed his family members Alagiri, Stalin, Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi at intervals whenever the party enjoyed electoral victory. If Stalin promotes his son at this juncture, it may create discontent among the second rung leaders. Perhaps if Stalin does that after proving his mettle in the forthcoming local body elections, there may be more acceptability.”
Political analyst Tharasu Shyam is of the view that DMK, at this hour, is badly in need of some fresh blood. Just like Congress, DMK too has become an old party and the second rung leaders were above middle-age. The party needs young blood, so DMK leadership may think Udhayanidhi could be a crowd puller.
On the other hand, DMK is already a ‘party of families’ in the sense that legal heirs of many second rung leaders have become DMK functionaries over time. So, Udhayanidhi could be yet another addition, he signs off.