Opinion Scripted by Kalaignar

For years after its founding in 1949,the DMK was defined by its “we-ness” — visible even now as tireless,organised cadres campaign and root for this “sunrise” party,claiming rationalism,egalitarianism and the Tamil cause as its central points.

It may appear now that these are images far away from the party as family enterprise. The Congress may be the grand old party and the BJP the largest opposition party,but the DMK is the party young voters,set to vote for the first time in the next general elections,are likely to be most familiar with. Continuously in power at the Centre for nearly 17 years now,with minor cooling periods like coffee beans sniffed between different scents,the DMK has called the shots in the United Front government,then in the NDA and after that in the UPA,in both its avatars.

So,in all probability,young 18-year-olds are deeply aware of this regional party,which has almost redefined pragmatism and popularity,in between running one of the most interesting and efficient governments in the state of Tamil Nadu. But portraying the DMK as merely a collection of successful political entrepreneurs,who bargain and maximise profits,is to miss many points.

No doubt,the DMK has shone the light on a new way of doing politics,successfully,in the so-called sunrise industries. Several other political parties have become associated with business interests rooted in the old economy. But the DMK pioneered enterprise in new areas — cable TV,communications,film distribution,production — while running almost continuously,for more than a decade,new ministries founded for the 21st century,like telecom and environment,demonstrating a fibre others could only gasp at. Till,of course,2G caught up with the DMK.

But this is still an incomplete DMK story. As they now appear to have withdrawn support on a very non-new economy issue — the plight of hapless Tamils in Sri Lanka after the civil war in that country — it may be time to see if this is the time-out the grand old party of south India is seeking,to refurbish and recharge itself before the oldest political leader in active politics in India today takes a bow and sails off the political stage.

The Self-Respect Movement or the Justice Party,a social movement nearly 90 years old,went on to morph into the Dravida Kazhagam,present even now as a purist branch espousing Dravida issues,including the rejection of Brahmanical ideas and customs that oppressed the disprivileged in the social hierarchy. It took effort and courage for the followers of the fiery E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) to break away from him and form the DMK. Periyar’s sudden decision to marry Maniammai,and to then anoint her his political successor,taking away what everyone saw to be the right of his nephew,Sampath,made it easier for a section of his followers to break Periyar’s hold and form the DMK.

Young Karunanidhi,politically active even before India was declared a republic,went on to forge legendary ties with Anna,and after his death in 1969,managed to edge out Anna’s deputy V.R. Neduchezhiyan,with the support of many,notably,the hero M.G. Ramachandran (MGR,Jayalalithaa’s mentor) until the break came with MGR,quite bitterly in 1972,leading to the birth of another new party,the AIADMK. What has followed from that point has been a fiercely contested battle between the two D-parties,any other force in Tamil Nadu having been blocked out.

The skills of Karunanidhi lay in ensuring,along with Jayalalithaa since the 1980s,that while no national party had any direct control in the state,no coalition at the Centre could be run without the support of one of the two parties.

The past couple of years,especially after it became clear that Karunanidhi’s age meant a more limited role for him,has been about control in the future. This has turned the formerly cadre-based party into one in which the “successors” are vying for control. Now,with Karunanidhi having almost decided to hand the party to Stalin,the only cabinet minister the DMK had at the Centre,M.K. Azhagiri,also Karunanidhi’s first-born,is yet to be reined in fully. Withdrawal of support means the party will come more firmly under M.K. Stalin’s control.

Early elections could,of course,be precipitated by any factor now. But the DMK does not appear to have snap polls as an objective. In all probability,the old party,having adapted magically to new times,is indulging in another act of the rationalism it is best known for. Having cut off a sulking brother’s source of support (and clout,his ministership),Stalin is already talking to smaller groupings within the state to take on Jayalalithaa. Stalin probably wants to draw in more players,like Captain Vijaykanth,into the DMK tent. Vijaykanth may appear to be only a failed star,but he had bagged significant votes in his electoral outing and is disillusioned with the Third Front in the state and with Jayalalithaa too. The DMK also knows that whatever hesitation national parties may exhibit over proximity to the 2G party on national television,electoral strength in 2014 will be their calling card to open all doors.

So Drawithdraw Munnetra Kazhagam,as someone on Twitter put it,need not have done this to exact revenge,extract a pound of flesh or for forcing an election before they are really ready for it.

When you have been active and successful in politics since before the Constitution was framed and your lifespan catalogues the changing political seasons over decades — having moved from defacing Hindi signboards with tar at Trichy station in 1952 to calling yourself the “Mujib” of the Dravidas,to naming your son,Stalin,to being in power at the Centre for more than a decade-and-a-half — anyone who tries to hazard what is on your mind should first wait and watch. Even screenplay writer Kalaignar Karunanidhi’s runaway hit in 1952,Parasakthi,which involves a powerful dialogue with the goddess,became a hit only five years after his debut in the Madras film industry. The film has only just begun.

seema.chisti@expressindia.com