CHENNAI: TVK came to power promising a change in Tamil Nadu politics, projecting itself as a clean break from the Dravidian parties that have dominated the state’s politics for over five decades. But barely two months into office, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s party is increasingly drawing its strength from the same Dravidian parties it promised to replace.
On Thursday, former ministers C Vijayabaskar and MR Vijayabaskar, who recently resigned as MLAs, will become the latest batch of AIADMK defectors to join the TVK. While the induction was initially planned at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur, the venue was shifted after the two leaders informed that they would be accompanied by thousands of supporters, sources said. “Subsequently, we decided to hold the event at a private hotel in Mamallapuram,” a TVK functionary told TNIE.
This has once again brought into focus a key contradiction confronting the two-year-old party. As more senior AIADMK leaders and their supporters join TVK, questions are being raised over whether the party can continue to call itself as an agent of political change while relying on leaders and cadres from the traditional Dravidian parties to build its organisation.
Senior AIADMK leader Udumalai K Radhakrishnan, who recently joined TVK along with MC Sampath and Kadambur C Raju, said the decision in his region was largely driven by cadre sentiment.
“Nearly 90% of functionaries from areas such as Valparai, Pollachi, Udumalpet, Palladam, Kangeyam and Tiruppur wanted to move together. In Pollachi alone, around 40 office-bearers joined TVK. We could not go to the DMK. Everyone felt only TVK was acceptable,” he told TNIE. The exodus was not confined to western Tamil Nadu.
TVK was not merely attracting individual leaders but was also inheriting parts of the AIADMK’s organisational network. Most of the defectors cited dissatisfaction with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s leadership and the need to protect their self-respect as the reasons for leaving the party.
Asked if they are eyeing an electoral opportunity, most of the former ministers said that it would not be appropriate for them to contest local body elections after having served as ministers. “TVK is relatively young compared to the traditional parties. We will function like school headmasters and just guide them in politics,” a former minister said.
Political analyst Arunkumar said TVK’s move to bring in more AIADMK people into its fold was largely aimed at the upcoming local body polls. “The party won the Assembly election on a wave of popular support.
But winning an election and sustaining an organisation are two different things. Local body elections require booth agents, ward-level organisers and district functionaries. Building such a structure takes years. Experienced AIADMK cadres help bridge that gap almost overnight,” he said.
“The AIADMK cadre has historically gravitated towards a strong personality. Today, Vijay occupies that space,” he added. Responding to criticism over MLAs resigning and joining TVK, party spokesperson Felix Gerald said the party has acted within the constitutional framework.
