75% jobs to locals: From poll promise to policy?
Stalin-led DMK wrests power but anti-incumbency doesn’t entirely overcome AIADMK
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies cruised to a comfortable victory in Tamil Nadu, dislodging the 10-year-old All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) government, led by EK Palaniswami.
DMK President M K Stalin, who inherited the political legacy of his father and long-time chief minister M Karunanidhi, is set to occupy the office at Chennai’s Fort St Geroge.
The Congress, the Left parties, and the Viduthalai Chiruthagal Katchi (VCK) are part of the Dmk-helmed alliance.
According to the latest figures on the Election Commission of India’s website, of the 234 seats, the DMK won one and led in 120, the Congress was ahead in 17, the CP(M) and the CPI in two each, and the VCK in three.
The AIADMK led in 79 seats, the PMK in six, and the BJP in three.
Stalin had his work cut out after losing the 2016 elections, which gave the AIADMK, then led by J Jayalalithaa, a second term, bucking a trend in Tamil Nadu, where victory alternated between the two Dravida parties. He had to remobilise the dispirited DMK cadre, which was additionally upset with the passing of Karunanidhi. Although Stalin had staying power, he lacked the charisma and oratorical prowess of his father. He had to make peace with members of his extended family, notably his step-sister and Thoothukuddi MP, Kanimozhi.
Among his first moves was to marginalise M K Alagiri, his brother who held sway over southern Tamil Nadu and was allegedly responsible for the DMK’S rout in this region in the past elections. Unlike his father, Stalin found little use for the Marans, who were involved in controversial deals to foster their business interests. He relied on V Sabareesan, his son-in-law who understood and appreciated newage communications and the significance of cross-party relations. If Sabareesan had political ambitions, he did not let on. Sources said he was appropriately deferential towards Kanimozhi and Udayanidhi, Stalin’s son who has been elected from Chennai’s Chepauk. Sabareesan is also supposed to have good relations with Rahul Gandhi and the Rashtriya Janata Dal president, Tejashwi Yadav.
He gave the 68-year-old Stalin a “new generation look”, enhanced his presence on social media, got political consultant Prashant Kishor as the DMK’S political strategist, and brought in influential leaders like Senthil Balaji from the AIADMK. The DMK’S theme song “Stalin than Vararru” (Stalin is coming) is a big hit in Tamil Nadu.
However, despite the attempted “modern” look, hard politics took Stalin back to the DMK’S roots. He criticised the AIAMK for getting too close to the BJP and endorsing its brand of Hindutva that he saw as inimical to Dravida sentiments. The DMK’S manifesto played on the theme of “protecting” Tamil interests and promised 75 per cent jobs in local industries to the Tamils, demanded that education be taken off the concurrent list and put on the state list, and said Tamil would be compulsory until class VIII.
The AIADMK, which was plagued by a bout of infighting after Jayalalithaa’s death, patched together things as Palaniswami made peace with his deputy O Panneerselvam. Together, they kept Jayalalithaa confidante Sasikala Natarajan and her ambitious nephew TTV Dhinakaran from the AIADMK’S ambit. Uncertainty arose after Sasikala was released from prison and hinted she wanted to be back in active politics. The BJP was keen the AIADMK induct her but Palaniswami, once a close associate, rejected the suggestion. Sasikala herself announced she had “renounced” politics although Dhinakaran had floated his party, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, fought the polls, and drew a blank.
If the AIADMK was not completely beaten, it was because Palaniswami announced a slew of pre-poll sops, which significantly included a Bill that legislated a 10.5 per cent quota in education and jobs to the powerful Vanniyar caste in the 20 per cent slot for the most backward classes and de-notified communities. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is an AIADMK ally and represents the Vanniyars. The PMK added to the AIADMK’S tally, picking up six seats in the north-western Vanniyar belt.
Palaniswami also wrote off loans worth ~12,000 crore taken by farmers and sanctioned free three-phase electricity 24X7. He also waived the small loans taken by women self-help groups from cooperative banks and societies.
With the AIADMK out of the scene, it remains to be seen how the DMK shapes its relations with the BJP at the Centre. In his campaign, Stalin came down heavily on the BJP for the Citizenship Amendment Act, allegedly imposing Hindi on Tamil Nadu, and making the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test compulsory.