Disciple Vaiko’s shadow on party of the rising son

Vaiko has returned to a hero’s welcome, and Karunanidhi—his staunch supporter, regular prison visitor and one-time mentor—suddenly feels threatened.

In recent meetings, Vaiko has been seated with lesser leaders, senior DMK candidates like T.R. Baalu have kept him waiting at public meetings and his events have been assiduously ignored by SUN network, owned by the DMK’s ruling family.

Karunanidhi’s immediate threat is that Vaiko’s appeal may undermine his carefully crafted plan for the takeover of the DMK by son Stalin. The latter had been slowly emerging from his shell, making intensive tours and interacting with cadres. All of what Vaiko has done before.

An ex-MLA of the DMK says: ‘‘Vaiko is far more approachable than our Stalin. He’s also more considerate towards the grassroots. Anyway his POTA incarceration has conferred on him a halo which we all would like to make full use of in the current elections. But what after that is a different issue altogether.’’

However, a Stalin acolyte dismisses the suggestion. ‘‘Vaiko is an ally, a valuable ally, if you so please. But there ends the matter. Stalin is our commander, and he is our future leader, you need have no misgivings on that.’’

Karunanidhi has apparently been refusing requests for joint appearances with Vaiko. Reports say he is yet to recover from the thunderous cheers that greeted his one-time chela at the DMK’s Virudhunagar conference.

But what Vaiko’s men find particularly galling is Sun TV’s ‘‘deliberate underplaying’’ of the POTA hero.

‘‘Even his release was barely covered. The news conference he addressed on his release was not, neither was the gala show we organised at his native Kalingapatti. This is very unfair, betrays some political design..,’’ they grumble.

While neither the DMK high command nor the SUN TV management would comment on the developments, MDMK circles insisted their leader was in demand. ‘‘He finds himself overwhelmed by never-ending pleas from DMK candidates for meeting dates. It’s good he has two months ahead of him, otherwise he might actually end up alienating those he may not be able to meet,’’ claims a functionary.