Tamil Nadu: Why DMK's First Family May Have Erred In Elevating Udhayanidhi Stalin So Early

The sequence of images was stunningly revealing.

Udhayanidhi Stalin was making his way into the venue of the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) diamond jubilee meeting at Kancheepuram last Saturday, the day before he was elevated post-haste as the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the top leaders of the party and the head honchos of the alliance parties stood up with respectful reverence from their seats on their dais. 

At that time, the news was trickling in (through the grapevine) that third generation leader from the M Karunanidhi family was set to be formally anointed as the number two in the state cabinet just below his father, the second generation leader from the Karunanidhi family, M K Stalin. 

Almost all the leaders elder to Udhayanidhi in age and political experience, oozing obsequiousness  from every pore, bent and paid curtsy to Udhayanidhi who made his  way through the dais.

But as he moved through the line of leaders, which also included Thol Thirumavalavan, K Veeramani, Vaiko (all of them, we repeat, were standing in rapt eagerness), only one was sitting and he kind of made a half-hearted attempt to lift himself up, but Udhayanidhi swiftly moved past him after proferring a half-hearted hand at him.  

The man in the uncomfortable seat was: Durai Murugan.

The senior most minister in Stalin's cabinet, was always rumoured to be unhappy with Udhayanidhi being speedtracked to the top while elders like him who had already been sidestepped during Stalin's promotion, are forced to face the same mortification again.  Actor Rajinikanth kind of spilled the beans about Murugan's peeved predicament at a meeting a few weeks back.

And Murugan did not leave anyone in any doubt with his visible intransigent way at the DMK 75th year celebrations.

While Murugan, a man who is a bit of a maverick, has made his displeasure open, we hear that there are many others like him in the party lineup who are equally less than happy with Udhayanidhi's meteoric flight to the top while they have been made to just twiddle their thumbs and watch.

Partymen May Be Peeved At The Charade

Dynastic politics and nepotism are not exactly new to Indian politics. All parties indulge in it, but in the DMK it seems to be the official creed. But even though it is not so much an issue that agitates the public largely, Udhayanidhi's rise seems to have upset the DMK men more than the outsiders. For, they are the ones who are forced to defend something that has become something of a joke in Tamil Nadu politics.

Stalin may have had his own compulsions (his rumoured health condition being the chief concern) in pulling Udhayanidhi to the metaphorical top-floor of the government so early in his inchoate career. Udhayanidhi is a first-time MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly), and him becoming the official second in command in the state is the very definition of lateral entry into the government that the DMK so vehemently opposed. 

Anyway, the feeling that one gets from the party is that it has not gone down well with many. Not that this was an unexpected bolt from the blue. On the contrary, it was always on the cards. But it feeds into the insistent narrative that everyone in the party has to watch while the members of the Karunanidhi family stay glued to both top party posts and top government seats whenever it is in power.

They did for Stalin. They did for Alagiri till he had a fallout with his dad. Now they are doing it for Udhayanidhi. Even though it is their practised role, somewhere existential angst will strike. And it seems to have. On social media platforms, while the opposition parties and the common public are lampooning the DMK, the defence of the party's troll army has been cursory and predictable. The usual zing seems missing.

Allies May Feel Jilted 

Also, it is not just the partymen who seem deflated. The allies too feel downcast. Remember Stalin Junior's step up the ladder has come at a time when the DMK's steadfast ally, the VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi), has been criticised for so much as seeking a slice of the power pie. While the VCK's voice for power sharing has been muted out, Udhayanidhi's celebratory trumpet is loud and long.

The contradistinction in fortunes must surely rankle Thol Thirumavalavan, who even made bold a claim for the deputy CM seat, and his party men. On X timeline, the latent caste aggression of the DMK men came to the fore as they mocked the VCK as it had been shown its place (a flagrant casteist taunt).

As we said, nepotism and dynastic rule are not much of a deal-breaker in Indian politics. Every party is guilty of it, especially regional ones. But in parties like the Congress, the DMK and Janata Dal (Secular), things are worse as the central leadership is vested with a single family. And whenever the parties get to power, the same family members get to occupy the throne of the administration too. 

The Clouds May Hide The Rising Son 

As Karunanidhi had families, the numbers from them are also multitudinous. There is almost no parallel in Indian political history with so many from one single family getting to major posts with nary an effort flies in the face of essential democracy.

It also shows up that its bluster on social justice is just that — a bluster that is. (In another show of hypocrisy, Udhayanidhi's elevation announcement came on a (Tamil month) Purattasi Saturday, an auspicious day in the Hindu Tamil calendar).

It is well known that the family has had no compunctions in brazening it out. But the questions that once were stray and sporadic, have now become more strident and sustained. Even Karunanidhi waited for years before giving a leg up to Stalin. But his son has had no hurdle in his way. And that may not play to his advantage.

Udhayanidhi, who was already under fire for the botched up Chennai F4 race (he is the state Sports Minister), will be under further microscopic scrutiny. The jeering will also rise. Already the old videos of him where he says that"he will not take up any post as many seniors who have actually worked for the party are there" are back in circulation.

The case surrounding his vulgar and vile speech that Sanatana Dharma has to be destroyed is far from over. He is inexperienced. He has been mediocre. He has also been a rabble-rouser. 

That Stalin has to quickly lift up his son shows his desperation. Usually such acts of distress don't succeed.