COIMBATORE: In the absence of top leaders, stage artists dressed as former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa helped sustain the crowd gathered for AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami's recent campaign in Coimbatore and other AIADMK candidates.
M Naresh Kumar (44), a native of Erode, vividly resembles MGR and has been camping in Coimbatore for the past two weeks, actively participating in AIADMK street campaign events. During the campaign, Naresh Kumar is seen in MGR's iconic white shirt and dhoti along with a wristwatch on the right hand, dark glasses and his fur cap, and is warmly greeted by a number of people, especially the elderly.
During street campaigns with the AIADMK candidates, he dances to MGR's songs such as Naan Ungal Veettu Pillai, Kannai Nambathey, Kadavul Ennum Muthalali (Vivasayi) and Pachaikili Muthucharam, and keeps the crowd entertained.
"In the campaign vehicle itself, I change my clothes to suit the dance by removing the watch, cap, white shirt and dhoti. Though former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran died 38 years ago, people still love him. It hurts me to see people, especially the elderly, fall at my feet. I will never forget when an elderly woman fell at my feet and cried out of affection for the departed leader," said Naresh Kumar, who earns between 3,000 and 4,000 per day.
Naresh said that Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa watched him when he danced to an MGR song during her visit to Dharmapuri 15 years ago, and that AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswamy appreciated his performance, which remains an unforgettable moment in his life.
Similarly, Meena, another stage artist, noted that once people notice them, especially women and young children, they eagerly approach them to take photographs.
Meena, from Vadapalani in Chennai, told TNIE that she has come to know from party cadres to candidates how Amma is respected. "I am a stage artist and my colleague wanted me to do make-up like former Jayalalithaa. Soon after, I tried wearing a green saree and hairstyle along with a tilak on the forehead like Amma. Since my body language fits Jaya amma, I became a stage artist and have been doing it for last four years," she said.