| Published on 21-08-2007 In National | | Viewed 1472 times | | Karunanidhi under fire, from friends more than foes |
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| Written by
R. Bhagwan Singh | 
Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi is increasingly finding himself under scorching fire in attacks from even close allies targeting him and his government on a variety of issues, such as his proposal for satellite cities, setting up of industrial parks and more recently, Tata's titanium dioxide project down south. His archrival Ms Jayalalithaa heading the opposition AIADMK must be thrilled on the one hand and furious on the other—happy that her enemy is getting bashed up by his own friends and angry because in the process, their oration is straight from her own script as they hog all the media space and public attention.
Thank God, nay Periyar, for providing a few hours now and then to take his mind off these stressful confrontations as Kalaignar Karunanidhi relaxes watching movies at private screenings that the doting Kollywood arranges for the First Family. But for those welcome diversions and of course his own political sagacity, the DMK patriarch might have even gone mad at all those broadsides from good friend Dr S. Ramadoss of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Red comrades.
It is to his credit that Karunanidhi has been able to keep together the flock in the Democratic Progressive Alliance he heads, even while doing what he thinks is best for him, his party and its government. Having said that, one must quickly add that the way his DPA is tearing itself up from within creates serious doubts whether it will be intact when the Lok Sabha elections are called two years from now---may be even sooner the way relations are fast souring between the Congress and the Left over the nuke deal with the Americans.
That Karunanidhi is finding himself increasingly under pressure was demonstrated in embarrassing loudness on August 15, when almost all his allies, even the ever-subservient Congress, kept away from the Independence Day tea party at the Raj Bhavan, marking their protest against his "non-inclusive style of functioning." That was perhaps the first time that the allies of a ruling party boycotted wholesale an important State function, that too hosted by the Governor. Until now, only Ms Jayalalithaa had the 'privilege' of ignoring government ceremonies---the two Dravidian leaders hate each other to such an extent that they cannot bring themselves to be at any place at the same time. And that includes the legislature too.
While the PMK chief, Dr Ramadoss, is insisting on the chief minister evolving a consultative mechanism, similar to the coordination committee comprising all the partners in the United Progressive Alliance ruling at the Centre, Karunanidhi prefers to carry on with an informal setup that leaves the final whip in his hands. True, he has capitulated to Dr Ramadoss on several issues in recent past—guillotining of the ambitious satellite city was one such—yet, relations between the two are worsening at a pace that could scare even a diehard optimist in the DPA.
Many believe that Dr Ramadoss is trying his best to compel Karunanidhi to jettison him from the alliance, so he could join up with Jayalalithaa in time for the Parliament poll as he is convinced that the DMK is on a downslide on the popularity graph owing to a variety of reasons, topmost of them being widespread corruption. Stretched surprisingly beyond normal limits, even if one must acknowledge their individual political compunctions demanding that they keep their constituencies satisfied, it all looked to an excited spectator in the stands that the two boxers in the ring would not mind drawing some blood, at last.
After all that blowing hot and cold over this issue or that, Dr Ramadoss appeared to have made up his mind to part ways and for his part, Karunanidhi gave the impression, finally, that he did not mind it at all.
His recent statement saying enough was enough ( porumaikkum ellaivundu in Tamil) was meant to warn the PMK chief he had pushed their alliance to the brink.
Having played the second fiddle to the Dravidian parties all these years, it is almost impossible to expect the Congress in Tami Nadu to show, even pretend, having a backbone demonstrative of independent functioning in the state. And so it came as a huge surprise when the Congressmen kept off the Independence Day party of Governor Barnala. Asked how they could gather such great courage, in the face of the close bonhomie between their neta Soniaji and Kalaignar, a senior Congressman confessed that he and his party colleagues were 'humiliated' just that morning at the chief minister's flag-hoisting ceremony at the Fort St. George by denial of 'proper seating' until the big man himself saw their predicament and summoned them to the front rows.
One hears worse things about the manner in which the DMK's local satraps treat the functionaries of their alliance parties down the line, down the districts. And the only murmur, rather growls, of discontent would come from Dr Ramadoss while the others mostly swallowed the insults quietly. My Congress friend has an answer to that as well---'We must take into account Kalaignar's closeness to Soniaji, whereas Dr Ramadoss is his own master and can himself decide on his future political strategy.' The Independence Day party boycott is perhaps the strongest protest that the Congress has made so far against the 'big brother's bullying.'
However, even that bravado lasted barely a couple of days with the Congressmen as they spread the red carpet for Karunanidhi to participate in the Rajiv Gandhi birth anniversary celebration at Satyamurthi Bhavan, their state headquarters, on August 20. That was the first time that the Dravidian stalwart was visiting another party's office and if the state Congress president M. Krishnaswamy could take pride it achieving that, that can only be a minor concession from the DMK chief minister after all the big gains he could squeeze out of the Congress leadership at Delhi, beginning with the plum portfolios for his nominees in the Central Cabinet.
However, several Congressmen were upset with Karunanidhi's visit to their Bhavan. One of the fuming party seniors even said that it seemed as though Sonia and Krishnaswamy had now "sold away" the party and its headquarters to the DMK chief. If Indira Gandhi had 'mortgaged' the Congress to the Dravidian parties some four decades back—getting a pittance of seats in the state legislature in return for help to gain the best score for the Parliament, it's no better now since her daughter-in-law has altogether 'sold' the Bhavan to the DMK.
But then, Karunanidhi too had reasons to be disappointed with his Bhavan yatra; for, many Congressmen kept away from his oration for Rajiv, including several legislators. Each faction in the state Congress was represented by only a handful of representatives and the turnout was dismally thin. It was perhaps the Congressmen's turn now to humiliate the octogenarian by keeping away from his maiden visit to their state office.
Clearly a huge political churning is taking place, both in Tamil Nadu and at Delhi. There are clear portends for realignment of foes and allies in the coming months as the country gets ready for the Parliament poll. Doing his critical balancing act on a rope that is getting thinner by the day, thanks to the new challenges thrown up by good friend Ramadoss all the time and the Left adding its bit, Karunanidhi does not really present a picture of being a happy captain of Team DPA. Help seems to come only from the dream merchants of Kollywood.
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