3 decades after his death, TN parties bank on MGR factor
STAR LEGACY Though the AIADMK enjoys support of MGR fans, the party is projecting brand Amma this time to woo the Gen-X voters
The late MG Ramachandran is possibly the most illustrious chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Such is the charisma of the actor-turned-politician that almost three decades after his demise, political parties are still fighting to appropriate his name.
The greatest beneficiary of his legacy is the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)—the party MGR formed after breaking away from the DMK and headed till his death in 1987. In election after election, the AIADMK used the MGR factor to win votes and keep MGR fans and party loyalists happy.
But this time, MGR doesn’t appear to enjoy prominence in the AIADMK campaign.
“It should be understood that AIADMK is in the control of J Jayalalithaa. Though leaders talk about EVR Periyar, Annadurai and MGR, the activities and programmes need not follow their visions anymore,” said Srinivasan V, an activist.
“The CM started her campaign from Chennai’s Island Grounds but I’m not sure if she visited the memorials of Anna and MGR, which are close to the venue.”
But party loyalists still vouch by MGR’s name.
“MGR is an integral part of every Tamilian’s life. So how can anyone, especially the AIADMK ignore him?” said a businessman running a shop outside the AIADMK’s main office in Royapettah, Chennai.
“The AIADMK is promoting brand Amma. MGR is forgotten in the AIADMK circles,” TKS Elangovan, DMK spokesperson told HT. “The AIADMK is surviving because of their [MGR fans] support, but the party wants to win this elections using brand Amma.”
At the AIADMK’s main office, a gold-painted MGR statue stands in the centre of a courtyard surrounded by large flex boards where Jayalalithaa asks the cadre to vote the party back to power by securing all the 234 seats in the assembly.
Most AIADMK-related merchandise available in the stalls opposite the office have Amma, not MGR, on them.
The change in election tactic may be because voters born in the 1990s are not familiar with the ‘Makkal Thilagam’—one of MGR’s titles.
“MGR is still a relevant figure in Tamil Nadu’s politics, especially for the AIADMK. The fact that DMDK’s Vijayakanth calls himself ‘black MGR’ shows the appropriation of MGR’s legacy is coveted”, said R Kannan, a senior UN official and the author of ‘Anna’. “He is probably a man who will take a longer time to fade away because he was no ordinary superstar. He was almost god on earth to many people.”