Is dynasty politics finally catching up on Vaiko?

Vaiyapuri Gopalasamy, aka Vaiko, the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), who had been a staunch critic of dynasty politics – a reason why he severed his ties with the DMK decades back to find his own party – has been facing flak for the elevation of his son Durai Vaiyapuri aka Durai Vaiko as the party’s headquarters secretary.

Forty nine-year-old Durai, a businessman by profession, was appointed as the headquarters secretary of the party at a secret voting at the MDMK’s Chennai headquarters on Wednesday.

A full circle

His induction, however, has been called paradoxical to Vaiko’s ideology and that of his party.

Vaiko, a lawyer by profession with excellent oratory skills and a strong grip on classical Tamil literature and world history, joined the DMK in 1964. He rose steadily in ranks, and at a point of time was considered the second-most to party supremo M Karunanidhi. For Karunanidhi, however, Vaiko wasn’t the heir apparent and was reportedly considered a threat to the former’s son Stalin. The MDMK’s website claims that due to the growing support for Vaiko, Karunanidhi sensed he was becoming a strong competitor for Stalin and needed to be sidelined.

“On November 26, 1991 Karunanidhi decided to expel Vaiko from the party. Many others also passed negative comments against Vaiko. He then gave a self-declaration. But around 99 per cent of the party members realised that justice should be done to Vaiko. This compelled Karunanidhi to postpone Vaiko’s removal from the party. However, on October 1993, based on Karunanidhi’s allegation that LTTE was planning to murder him so that Vaiko can get a political mileage, the DMK chief expelled Vaiko from the party,” the MDMK website said.

Many DMK cadres called out the dynasty politics in the party and demanded the reinstatement of Vaiko. Cadres including Nochipatti Thandapani, Idimazhai Udhayan, Kovai Kamarajapuram Balan, Melapalayam Jahangir, Uppilitapuram Veerappan died after self-immolating themselves while protesting against Vaiko’s ouster.

“There is no precedence anywhere in the world where people have died while opposing the party high command’s decision. Despite the protests, Vaiko was removed from the party. Nine district secretaries and over 400 general council members who supported Vaiko were also expelled from the party,” said the website.

The party was established in 1994 by Vaiko, and was soon joined by a rash of leaders from the DMK.

‘No discussion, Durai was unilaterally appointed’

Given that the opposition against dynasty politics forms the foundation of the party, it came as a shock and surprise to leaders and cadres when Vaiko declared his son as the heir apparent.

Several leaders opposed the decision. Soon after Durai’s appointment, party’s state youth wing secretary Kovai V Easwaran quit MDMK. Alleging that no discussion was held before appointing Durai as headquarter secretary, Easwaran told The Federal that the party which once spoke against dynasty politics has succumbed to the same.

“I am in the party for the last 28 years. Anyone can join the party and work for the people. There is no objection for Durai Vaiko to become a member. But identifying him as the next leader to guide the party is wrong. It shows that Vaiko has no confidence in other leaders of the party. Does he think others don’t have the capability to guide the party after him?” Easwaran said.

He said, in an ideal situation, time and political conditions should decide the next leader.

“When Anna (DMK founder CN Annadurai) died, he didn’t identify Karunanidhi as the next leader. Similarly MGR didn’t name Jayalalithaa as his political heir. Jayalalithaa too never passed on the baton to anyone. It was the time and situation that decided the party’s next leader. Let the MDMK follow that path,” Easwaran said, adding that he is going to continue his social work under the name ‘Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam’.

Can a rookie change party’s prospects?

Vaiko has many feathers to his hat – he is an articulate Parliamentarian (currently a Rajya Sabha MP), a leader of the masses, and a politician passionate towards the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils. He has also been at the forefront of the protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and Sterlite Plant.

However, when it comes to electoral politics, Vaiko’s stand has been inconsistent. First, he was in ally of the AIADMK, then he tried to form a third team under the banner People Welfare Front and is now in an alliance with the DMK. The vote share of the party is inconsequential. In that case, what value can Durai add to the party?

When The Federal asked how an MBA graduate and owner of a construction firm with little experience in politics will be able to contribute to the party’s development, many senior leaders in the party hesitated to comment.

However, one leader on the condition of anonymity said that the script for this drama was written two years ago.

“The talk about bringing his son to the party has been going on for the past two years. All the secret polls are just drama. It was already decided. Many of the senior leaders who were with Vaiko from the starting, are dissatisfied. We welcome Durai from the political point of view, but when it comes to policy or principle, we are against it. Vaiko knows that there will be criticism. But he is ready to face it,” the leader said.

Political commentator Pongalur Manikandan said that by bringing Durai into the party, Vaiko has proved he is just another politician.

“In our youth, he was our hero. But now he proved himself that he is an ordinary politician. This kind of dynasty politics will discourage the youngsters from stepping into politics,” he said.