Page 40 - AUG2018E

Stalin inherits legacy as

per Karunanidhi’s wish

Unlike AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi had finalised
a succession plan and ‘anointed’ his son Stalin as his successor. In one of his last formal
interviews, Karunanidhi had declared that Stalin will be the Chief Minister if something
happened to him, kv lakshmana writes

olitical pundits are con- exerting more pressure to up his or her his seeming inability to deliver the kill-
vinced that the state of Ta- bargaining power. er punch.
mil Nadu (TN) is in for a po- Knifes will be out if Stalin fails to win Now, after a 40-year plus stint as an
litical turmoil in the absence in the 2021 general elections to state understudy to his father, it is for the first
P of two of its tallest leaders assembly, but his first test will be 2019 time that Stalin will have the chance to
— M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa. general elections that will cement his be the authority in the party to take all
The state, in the recent years, has seen position in the party and Tamil Nadu decisions as far as the DMK and its af-
a fall in its status as a front-ranking politics. The DMK is already prepared fairs are concerned. Since it is an open
state in economic performance, suf- for local body polls and has been de- secret in Chennai and Tamil Nadu that
fered dent in industrial might and good manding they be held. Stalin was the chosen one as the po-
governance. litical heir by Karunanidhi, he is not ex-
On the face of it, things may look that pected to be facing trouble from DMK
conditions are fav ourable, new players leaders, activists and cadres.
to enter state politics to occupy the ap- With a firm Trouble for him could be coming
parent vacuum in political leadership succession plan from within the family – and the first
— given the fact that the ruling AIAD- taste of it is in the growing emotional
MK is only held together by the greed in place, the DMK demand from within family members
and need of power and the anticipation will not find the for taking back his elder brother MK
that its principal rival DMK will be hit Alagari into the party fold. Alagiri, who
by internal squabbles that its chief-to- passing away of was also a union minister in the UPA
be and Karunanidhi’s declared political Karunanidhi earlier government, was dismissed from the
hei, MK Stalin, cannot control. DMK’s primary membership for anti-
This supposition could very well this month affecting party activities three years ago by Karu-
come true if not for the fact that the nanidhi himself.
DMK is a well-oiled cadre-based party, the party structure Alagiri has been trying for a re-entry
which is still intact. Another fact is that in a large way into the party and had met Karunanidhi
Stalin has in the last two years since several times, but to no avail. How emo-
Karunanidhi was out of political action tions played out was on display during
due to illness, took complete control Flexing of muscles by the local chief- the burial ceremony at Marina Beach
over the party and is a leader accept- tains is something that Stalin will have when Kanimozhi, Stalin’s sister noticed
able to the party rank and file. to deal with, but even on this count he Alagiri in the back rows, went up to him
With a firm succession plan in place, managed to put in place men of his and escorted him to the front row and
the DMK will not find the passing away choice in key party positions in all the sit next to Stalin. Of course, she took
of Karunanidhi earlier this month af- districts of Tamil Nadu. He has been permission from Stalin the moment
fecting the party structure in a large working hard, raising issues of concern she noticed Alagiri was missing from
way. The succession of Stalin, in the of the common man and also attacking the front row.
works for the past two years, will be the ruling AIADMK and the govern- Stalin is expected to address this very
smooth barring the odd regional satrap ment, but cadres are a bit restless over issue — whether to allow Alagiri return

Tehelka / 31 august 2018 40 www.Tehelka.com