Dynastic politics: DMK is worst offender, but others are not entirely innocent

With the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the AIADMK training their ammunition on these two weak spots, the DMK is under some pressure despite being the front runner

In 2019, the DMK, together with its allies, romped home with a whopping 38 out of 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu. Two years later, together they won the Assembly election in the state although the AIADMK recovered some lost ground. In 2024, the DMK has managed to keep its flock together to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election. No doubt they are on a strong wicket. But, will the alliance shake off the charges of dynastic politics and corruption to sweep as it did last time?

With the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the AIADMK training their ammunition on these two weak spots, the DMK is under some pressure despite being the front runner.

From being a democratically elected party till the late M Karunanidhi became the party president and Chief Minister of the state, the party leadership, for the past five decades, has remained with the family. Though the trend is not uncommon, in DMK grooming the children for succession politics was seen from the 1970s when the current Chief Minister MK Stalin was projected as the heir to take on the mantle from Karunanidhi. The latter's daughter Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi candidate and its sitting MP) too entered the arena with a role in national politics for the DMK as did another son MK Alagiri and a grand nephew Dayanidhi Maran, who is the candidate from the Central Chennai Lok Sabha constituency. Today, Stalin‘s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, is a minister in his cabinet.

The trend does not end with the first family of DMK. Other dynasts in the party include Tamizhachi Thangapandian (Chennai South) and her brother, state Finance Minister Thangam Thensrasu are children of former DMK minister V Thangapandian, DM Kathir Anand (Vellore) is the son of DMK general secretary Durai Murugan. The late DMK minister Arcot N Veeraswamy’s son Kalanidhi Veeraswamy (Chennai North) and state minister KN Nehru’s son Arun Nehru (Perambalur) complete the picture. The Minister of Higher Education, K Ponmudi’s son Gautam Sigamani is the sitting MP of Kallakurichi, but he has not been given the ticket this time.
Among the DMK allies, Congress has three dynasts: Karthi P Chidambaram (Sivaganga), Vijay Vasanth (Kanyakumari) and MK Vishnu Prasad ( Cuddalore). MDMK fielded its chief Vaiko’s son Durai Vayapuri (Tiruchirapalli).

In contrast, the AIADMK doesn’t have the same baggage to carry along. The AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswamy had risen with no family background in politics, nor did he have a mentor. He has clearly stated that his son will not join politics. Towards the later part of her rule in the state, the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa handed the PWD portfolio to Palaniswamy, taking it away from former Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, on whom she had lost trust. After her death, her confidante VK Sashikala, too reposed faith in him, making him the Chief Minister. An astute politician, Palaniswamy, won over his party cadres and is today the undisputed leader of the party.

However, there are three dynasts in the fray from the AIADMK: Former state Minister D Jayakumar's son Dr J Jayavardhan (Chennai South), former state Assembly speaker P Dhanapal’s son D Lokesh Tamilselvan (Nilgiris) and Coimbatore candidate Singai G Ramachandran is the son of former MLA Singai Govindarajan. AIADMK ally DMDK has fielded its late founder Vijayakanth’s son Vijaya Prabhakar from Virudhunagar.

For all the hue and cry against dynastic politics, the BJP ally, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has nominated Sowmiya Anbumani, wife of the party president Anbumani Ramadoss, who is the son of party founder S Ramadoss.

The DMK has been silent on the charges of dynastic politics. Instead, it has been countering charges of corruption by explaining the supposed corruption through electoral bonds by the BJP.

“Today, the country is setting a world record in 5G communication, but the DMK brought disrepute with the 2G scam. Congress and DMK stand at the forefront to protect the corrupt. While I say remove corruption, they say protect the corrupt,” Modi said during a public rally in Vellore.

Incidentally, Modi is referring to the charges of corruption, involving the 2G scam that was responsible for the UPA-2 government to lose power at the centre. However, Tamil Nadu results since have shown that corruption is practically a non issue. Both the DMK and the AIADMK have gone through charges of corruption. But what really matters is the developmental work and welfare schemes the government introduced.

Thus, Stalin countered Modi: “If a university for corruption is to be established, then Modi will be the right person to become its chancellor.” Addressing a public meeting in Vellore, he added: “One may ask why. The answer is from electoral bonds, to PM Cares Fund and the BJP 'washing machine' of saffronising tainted leaders, the BJP is corrupt.”

Dynastic politics and corruption have limited purchase as election campaign points as all parties are guilty, though the degree varies.