The importance of being Senthil Balaji, be it AIADMK or DMK

One phone was dedicated to Karur, his stronghold, while the other was for Coimbatore where he used to pull some strings, a detail that often surprised and impressed his colleagues.

"I vividly recall receiving a call from him the moment I entered a meeting where he was also present," reminisces an activist closely associated with the state government. "Although we had met once before, he inquired why we hadn't met again. Despite the large gathering, Senthil Balaji not only noticed my presence but also made a follow-up phone call right there," added the activist.

It was not uncommon for Balaji to make such phone calls to people within the party and outside of it. Among the many qualities that contributed to Senthil Balaji's rapid rise to power, his exceptional networking skills stand out. They not only helped him forge connections with influential figures but also enabled him to maintain strong relationships with party cadres. To him, both were important and helped his political career.

Born in 1975 into a farming family in Rameshwarapatti near Karur, Senthil Balaji was originally known as Senthil Kumar. He reportedly left college to pursue a career in politics and changed his name based on numerological advice.

In the 1990s, Balaji began his political journey with the MDMK, a new splinter group from the DMK, before joining the AIADMK in 2001. His political rise continued when the AIADMK nominated him as their candidate for the Karur Assembly constituency in 2006. In a significant victory, Balaji defeated the powerful DMK politician Vasuki Murugesan.

He retained the Karur constituency in the 2011 elections and was appointed as the transport minister. Balaji worked diligently to maintain a positive relationship with Jayalalithaa, the then chief minister.

As transport minister, one of his notable actions was introducing minibuses prominently displaying the two leaves symbol, the AIADMK's party symbol. When questioned by the Opposition leader, M Karunanidhi, about the appropriateness of displaying a party symbol on government buses, Balaji defended the decision by explaining that the symbol depicted traditional Tamil elements, like tulasi and betel leaves, and was not just a party symbol. The defence left Jayalalithaa impressed.

Jayalalithaa was even more impressed with Senthil Balaji when, as transport minister, he introduced "Amma Kudineer" (Amma drinking water) facilities in bus stands.This initiative further strengthened his rapport with her.

His frequent visits to Poes Garden, where Jayalalithaa resided, became a topic of discussion among his cabinet colleagues, who were surprised and perhaps envious of his access and closeness to the Chief Minister.

So much that Jayalalithaa remarked that Senthil Balaji was like a son to her in an election meeting at Karur. Her public endorsement in fact catapulted him in the race for a replacement for Jayalalithaa when she was convicted and arrested in the disproportionate assets case in 2014.

However, the tides turned swiftly. In July 2015, just months after her comeback, Jayalalithaa not only dismissed Senthil Balaji from her cabinet but also ousted him from his position as the Karur district secretary. Jayalalithaa was known for periodically reshuffling her cabinet, keeping her ministers uncertain about their positions.

Despite this, Senthil Balaji had managed to retain his clout, thanks to his close ties to Poes Garden, including Sasikala and her relative Ilavarasi. While no official reason was given for his removal, there were speculations that it was due to corruption allegations against him. These charges would come back to haunt him.

Following Jayalalithaa's passing, Senthil Balaji sided with TTV Dhinakaran over Edappadi Palaniswami and was among the 18 disqualified MLAs. He later joined the DMK in December 2018.

“I know his original idea was to stay back in AIADMK and shift to the Edappadi Palaniswami camp," recalled former MP and AIADMK leader KC Palanisamy. “But Edappadi Palaniswami probably felt threatened by Balaji's intellect and hard work,” he pointed out.

In the DMK, Senthil Balaji was viewed as a beacon of hope, particularly in the Kongu belt, which had long been an AIADMK stronghold. Along with his networking skills and relentless hard working nature, Balaji’s caste apparently worked in his favour.

With the AIADMK having some powerful leaders from the Gounder community, Senthil Balaji, who also belongs to the same community, was seen as a key figure who could potentially revitalise the party's prospects in this challenging region.

Palanisamy, however, says caste is not a huge factor. “There are DMK leaders who are Gounders, so I don’t think caste was a major factor. But Senthil Balaji was ambitious. He once told me that he wanted to be in the field, involved in the grind of day-to-day politics. He was confident of making it big,” he said.

In the DMK, Senthil Balaji secured victory in the Aravakuruchi by-poll in 2019 and was re-elected from the Karur assembly constituency in 2021. Subsequently, he was appointed as the in-charge of Coimbatore prior to the 2021 urban local body elections. Senthil Balaji brought his men from Karur who micromanaged the election, a move that didn’t go well with the local cadres but nevertheless proved successful.

Under his leadership, the DMK achieved a remarkable victory, securing 97 out of 100 wards in Coimbatore, a milestone that had previously been beyond reach. The achievement in Coimbatore unsettled the BJP, which viewed the city as one of the few places in Tamil Nadu with promising prospects.“

There is every reason for the BJP to feel threatened by Senthil Balaji,” reasoned Priyan, journalist and political commentator. “He was aggressively working towards turning western Tamil Nadu into a favourable region for the DMK,” he added.

Just as Balaji was cementing his position within the party and the government, building close ties with Stalin's family much like he had nurtured in Poes Garden, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began investigating him. What followed became part of his political legacy.

Observers attribute Balaji's swift rise to power to his relentless hard work and financial resources."He worked tirelessly, often sleeping for barely four hours. Additionally, he used his financial influence to sway others,” said political observers.

An associate of Senthil Balaji remarked, "In both the AIADMK and DMK, Senthil Balaji managed to rise to power very quickly. He became a minister after being elected as an MLA for the second time by Jayalalithaa. He got close to the families. Back then and now, he couldn't complete his full term as a minister. If he is credited for becoming a minister at a young age, he is equally responsible for losing it so abruptly. Nobody else can be blamed.”

Palanisamy thinks Senthil Balaji made some glaring mistakes that led to his downfall. “When you accept in the court and file an affidavit that you have indeed taken a cut, you are reaching a point of no return. He did say that he returned the money, but that is inconsequential. Also, he should have cooperated with the Enforcement Directorate when they sought to enquire about him. That turned out to be disastrous for him.”

But observers are not willing to write him off yet. “You cannot write any politician off for that matter. DMK made a comeback after 13 years. Jayalalithaa’s 1996 defeat was debilitating but she made a comeback. Senthil Balaji might not be a Jayalalithaa, but I think he has what it takes to stage a comeback. It might not be as forceful. He might choose to play it down if and when he manages to get bail. We need to wait and watch,” said Priyan.

People who have watched him up-close feel Senthil Balaji was ruthless.“Without which of course he wouldn’t have made it to where he was. He was someone who could foresee things and accordingly dealt with people who he considered a threat. But he also made a lot of enemies in the process,” said a political observer.

With Jayalalithaa, Senthil Balaji waited long enough to be accepted back. While she gave him a seat in 2016, he was still not included in the cabinet.

“He literally started from scratch again but managed to get back everything that he had lost,” said his former associate.

This time, eight months after he was arrested by the ED, Senthil Balaji, who is currently lodged in Puzhal prison, resigned from his ministerial post on February 12. But, as Priyan predicts, he may still make a comeback but choose to keep it muted.

And when that time comes, and when all this is finally over, Senthil Balaji’s tenacity will be put to test once again.