E-Paper
Udhayanidhi: Another son rises in the South
Udhayanidhi Stalin has had a relatively smooth and nurtured political journey ever since his father MK Stalin emerged as a successor to Karunanidhi who passed away in August 2018
When the news came officially about the elevation of Udhayanidhi Stalin as the deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the general public was neither excited nor upset. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) media team has done well to prepare the public in the last few months to accept the news without any surprise or shock by keeping alive the prospects of his elevation as a suspense story with an anticipated climax. This was a psychological game ploy to accept the succession of Udayanidhi Stalin with a well-rehearsed script and story line. Contrary to the orchestrated bonhomie within the party and the criticism of the opposition parties, the response of the common people can be summed as muted. The succession question was further cemented when chief minister MK Stalin handed over the care taker role to his son and the minster for youth welfare and sports development during his journey to the United States of America in August-September this year though there are more senior ministers in the cabinet and the government.
Udhayanidhi Stalin has had a relatively smooth and nurtured political journey ever since his father MK Stalin emerged as a successor to Karunanidhi who passed away in August 2018. This is no doubt a family succession drama in a democracy and a familiar story in Indian politics. But his meteoric rise within a short span of period has reaffirmed the course and control of DMK by the Karunanidhi’s family. The generation next is ready for the takeover with the opposition raising concerns about the consolidation of the dynastic politics. Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation as the deputy CM comes after his grooming period within the cabinet as the minister for youth welfare and sports development since December 2022. He has now been allotted the portfolio of planning and development in addition to his existing portfolios. He also holds the position of the DMK’s youth wing secretary since July 2019 like his father who served the party from this role for long with a distinctive mark of his own and proven enthusiasm to the appreciation of all leaders and cadres in the party. He was re-elected to the same position in November 2022. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly from a relatively safer and smaller Triplicane constituency in May 2021. It was widely known that his entry into cinema as an actor was a familiar track in a state like Tamil Nadu towards popularising his political entry despite his strong presence in the Tamil cinema industry as an influential film producer and distributor for long.
Unlike his father MK Stalin and grandfather Karunanidhi, Udhayanidhi’s exposure to harsh realities of politics came after he likened Sanatana Dharma to diseases like malaria and dengue that must be driven away like the mosquitoes. He suddenly became the debating point in national politics with blurred divisions of the ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacking at the DMK and INDIA bloc and the allies of his own party by either disapproving or distancing themselves from the remarks. Though DMK and its close allies in Tamil Nadu pitched it like an ideological battle, for Udhayanidhi it was delivered with a tone and style of a movie dialogue until the Supreme Court rebuked him and advised him to exercise caution in the future. This was his highest political induction by fire that introduced him to the rest of the country and as an ideological future for his own party. Udhayanidhi’s lack of political exposure and experience needs to be envisaged with the enormous responsibilities that he has been bestowed with the opposition from outside anticipating him as an easy prey. The responsibilities and expectations must inspire him and his supporters with the opposition moving an inch closer to watch him and his performance.
Udhayanidhi Stalin faces a battery of contenders and critics from outside the DMK party as well as the allies of DMK uncertain about the course of politics and the potential doubts in alliance in the coming years, especially the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Though Udhayanidhi Stalin is protected by a strong forte of senior ministers and the party organization yet he needs a strong team of senior ministers and party leaders including a new generation of party-political leaders in the similar age group that he belongs. He also needs to address the power equilibrium within the larger Karunanidhi family including the support, goodwill and cordial ties with Sabaresan, Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran. In a dynastic politics, power equilibrium within the family and the support of extended pillars that stand beneath the tower are more significant than the forces of challenge from outside the party. Kanimozhi is a natural power house that the party can neither ignore nor undermine in the long run. This is both a difficult and delicate balance that party must learn to adapt itself in the future.
(Prof.Ramu Manivannan is a scholar-social activist in areas of education, human rights and sustainable development through an initiative “Multiversity.”)
