From TTV Dhinakaran to actor politicians Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, all appear to want to cash in on the political vacuum
As Tamil Nadu enters a post-Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa era politics, many new political players and BJP will want to challenge the domination of the DMK and the AIADMK and hope to create their foothold.
The demise of DMK president M Karunanidhi on Tuesday — barely 20 months after his arch-rival AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016 — has created a huge political vacuum in Tamil Nadu, whose politics was dominated by the duo for close to three decades. From TTV Dhinakaran to actor politicians Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, all appear to want to cash in on the political vacuum and consolidate themselves.
Unlike Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi has identified his political heir — his son and party working president MK Stalin who in all likelihood will succeed him as party president when the DMK's general council meets on August 19. With the Lok Sabha polls in less than a year, Stalin will have his task cut out and have to register a thumping victory to prove himself as a worthy successor.
Meanwhile, the ruling AIADMK, after witnessing a split and merger, is badly impacted by the rebellion of TTV Dhinakaran, nephew of VK Sasikala, a close aide of Jayalalithaa. As chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam fight to consolidate their position in the party, Dhinakaran has launched his own party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and his creating waves with his massive rallies. Political commentators feel that Dhinakaran would make a severe dent in the AIADMK's thevar voter bank while the Edappadi government focusing to hold onto its Kongu belt of Western Tamil Nadu.
Haasan, on his part, launched his party Makkal Needhi Maiam and is focusing on recruiting cadres. His film world counterparty superstar Rajinikanth is yet to launch his party, but focusing on expanding his Rajini Makkal Mandram before the formal launch of the party.
THE CONTENDERS
- From TTV Dhinakaran to actor politicians Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, all appear to want to cash in on the political vacuum
- Unlike Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi has identified his political heir, MK Stalin
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