DMDK leader Sudhish posts an old Karunanidhi cartoon, irks DMK

DMDK leader LK Sudhish invited criticism for digging out an old cartoon and posting it without any context on his Facebook page on Thursday (September 3).

Sudhish, who is the brother-in-law of DMDK president Vijayakanth, posted a cartoon published in 2016 by DinaMalar, a Tamil newspaper, which portrayed many political leaders including late DMK patriarch Kalaignar Karunandhi falling at the feet of actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth. Sudhish immediately removed the post and provided an explanation, but the damage was done as FB users criticized him for “being distasteful” and getting the “timing wrong”.

The cartoon showed a leader in a black shirt (symbolising a DMK leader or Seeman) and another leader in a white shirt wearing a yellow towel (symbolising former Chief Minister K Karunanidhi) along with others encircling DMDK leader Vijayakant, who stands poised in the middle with his hands tied and pondering over his next move.

After removing the post, Sudhish offered an explanation, saying, “I only posted the cartoon published by DinaMalar newspaper in 2016. I posted the cartoon in social media so that the people of Tamil Nadu can understand the difference of approach in the cartoon published by them back then and the cartoon posted by them now. Since it was wrongly understood I immediately removed the post.”

In 2016, the political situation in Tamil Nadu demanded that the AIADMK and DMK pursue the DMDK for support.  Vijayakanth held talks with both Dravidian parties, but eventually supported the People’s Welfare Alliance with MDMK, VCK and Left parties.