Chennai: It was an embrace hard to resist and seen as a benevolent one. But, as the AIADMK has realised, the party could not wriggle out of this saffron embrace even though a vast majority of the cadre are not amused at the capitulation of the leadership. In alliance with the BJP, the AIADMK had lost successive elections, losing its traditional strongholds to its arch rival, the DMK under MK Stalin.
Though the BJP is a minor player in the state and despite opposition from the party ranks, the AIADMK leadership is unable to sever the relationship. With the diarchy – dual leadership of OPS and EPS sharing power equally as coordinator and joint coordinator – coming unstuck, the party has split and chaos reigns supreme. The party general council has expelled OPS and his supporters while elevating EPS as the interim general secretary.
Since then both have been on an expulsion spree, axing the supporters of others. Turning this into a theatre of the absurd, Jayalalithaa's former confidant, VK Sasikala, expelled in 2017 too entered the fray claiming herself to be the party general secretary. This split in the golden jubilee year of the party is not the first that the party had faced. Earlier, in 1988 the party had split and the party's iconic 'Two Leaves' symbol was frozen by the Election Commission.
The factions led by Jayalalithaa and MGR's wife VN Janaki fought the elections separately. But, the present plight of the AIADMK is not the same, though parallels could be drawn. “What distinguishes the present split is that it has brought to light that the BJP is playing the role of the arbiter in the leadership war in the AIADMK. It also has to be seen in the context of the BJP making an all-out effort to project itself as the alternative to the ruling DMK. The AIADMK is aware of the fact that it is losing ground and its support base is dwindling due the continuing alliance with the saffron party.
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Senior functionaries like C Ponnaiyan and C Ve Shanmugam have openly come out against this as it is weakening the party. Leaders like former minister Anwar Rajhaa have left the party. But, the leadership and former ministers facing corruption cases require the benevolence of the BJP at the centre for a protective cover,” explains Dr C Lakshmanan, teaching at Madras Institute of Development Studies.
Even as both the factions are engaged in court battles, OPS and EPS are beholden to Delhi. “If OPS visits Delhi, EPS follows suit, whether they get an audience with the PM or not. The other day EPS returned without meeting the PM. The cadre are not amused at this. Since the days of AIADMK founder MG Ramchandran, the cadre have been predominantly secular. Even Jayalalithaa had vowed not to align with the BJP.
But, the present leadership is also aware that the BJP is vindictive if they decide to snap ties. Hence, despite knowing that it is affecting the party, they are unable to liberate themselves. For, in Maharashtra and other states, the BJP had shown that it is unscrupulous to achieve its ends,” reasons senior journalist Babu Jayakumar. Other minor parties in Tamil Nadu too are facing similar problems. The OBC Vanniyar dominant Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is apprehensive but unable to sever ties with the BJP.
“At a party meeting, PMK founder issued an open warning to the cadre against migrating to the BJP. In northern districts, PMK cadres have moved towards the BJP. The Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) of actor Vijayakant and the Puthiya Thamilagam (PT) of Dr K Krishnasamy are becoming increasingly irrelevant after they have joined the BJP-led alliance. Such is the saffron party's bear hug,” says Lakshmanan adding, “AIADMK's leadership issue will be decided as and when the saffron party would like to settle it and it might get prolonged till the next Lok Sabha elections.”
