The debate over dynasty politics has taken the centre stage once again in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Over the years, the AIADMK has accused DMK of being a corporate company and not a political party that keeps projecting their own family members for a higher position in the party.
On Thursday, AIADMK’s chief ministerial candidate Edappadi K Palaniswami said even senior leaders in DMK have to “adjust” to a young heir in order to stick to their positions.
Saying that it was previously Karunanidhi and then his son Stalin and now it is Udhayanidhi, Palaniswami said the upcoming polls should put a full stop to dynasty politics.
Palaniswami said a few years ago DMK president MK Stalin had said no one from his family, including his son, would venture into politics and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin too had said he will not foray into politics. “Now Stalin has backtracked from his promise and announced Udhayanidhi as the party candidate from the Chepauk-Triplicane constituency for the Assembly polls.”
Seeking votes for AIADMK nominees, including Minister Sellur K Raju from this temple town, Palaniswami said he and others in his party, including Raju, hailed from ordinary families and earned positions in the party and government out of hard work.
The AIADMK party has been putting out new promotional videos, including old videos of Stalin were he says none of his family members would enter politics.
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Listing out senior DMK leaders Duraimurugan, Periyasamy, and K N Nehru, Palaniswami said he wondered why instead of such leaders Udhayanidhi has got primacy in the party for electioneering. “Nehru is bowing and opening the car door of Udhayanidhi. See the pathetic state of affairs in the DMK,” Palaniswami said.
He added that only AIADMK is a ‘democratic’ party in which even an ordinary worker could become an MLA, Minister, and even the Chief Minister, he said.
Rebutting AIADMK’s claims, DMK leader Stalin said the opposition had made similar comments when he had joined the party. He said Udhayanidhi wasn’t provided a direct MLA seat but has been provided just an opportunity. During an interview with NDTV, Stalin said “No one can force someone to enter politics. If my son is contesting as a candidate, we won’t be giving him the MLA seat directly. He has to meet the public, gather votes and win the elections to become an MLA. He has to win on his own.”
(With inputs from PTI)