DMK to unveil ex-PM VP Singh's statue in Chennai: A move to foray into national politics, strengthen support base in TN

Unveiling a life-size statue of VP Singh in Chennai on November 27 is considered to be a significant move by the DMK ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party on one hand wants to enter the national politics and on the other hand, consolidate its own vote bank in its state, writes ETV Bharat's Rakesh Tripathi.

New Delhi:Former prime minister VP Singh, whose decision to implement the Mandal Commission had triggered nation-wide protests in 1989-90 has once again come to the limelight. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is set to unveil VP Singh's statue at Presidency College, Chennai on November 27. ETV Bharat's Rakesh Tripathi elaborates as to why the DMK needs VP Singh, the 'messiah of backward masses' before the Lok Sabha elections.

An invitation card of the programme has a photograph of the former prime minister clad in black sherwani, white pajamas and the familiar cap. The second page of the card displays photographs of Stalin and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is the chief guest on the occasion. Also, there are black and white photographs of Karunanidhi and Singh.

VP Singh's son, Ajey Singh, said, “We have got the invitation card for the unveiling of father's statue. I have accepted the invitation and will be present at the programme along with my entire family. I have nothing to do with politics. On who was invited and who not doesn't matter anything to us."

VP Singh is an icon of north Indian politics so questions have risen as to why DMK is getting his statue installed in Chennai. According to CSDS director Sanjay Kumar, DMK's move is primarily an attempt to strengthen its vote bank in Tamil Nadu and create a national-level stature for itself on VP Singh's pretext.

"If discussions are being held on whether we are going into the Mandal-2 phase, then it is to be remembered as to who is the reference point of Mandal-1. Whose name is associated with Mandal-1? Now social justice is a big issue in the 2024 elections and all the political parties are in the race to become the champions of justice. Caste census has just come to the fore and the parties are ready to adopt it. Naturally, one who was related to Mandal-1 needs to be remembered. The manner in which Mahatma Gandhi is remembered for India's struggle for independence, VP Singh is known for his efforts to implement Mandal commission's recommendations for social justice. If social justice becomes an issue in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls then DMK wants to get the benefit," Sanjay Kumar said.

For the time time in the politics of south India, an issue of national politics is being used as a symbol there. So long, Tamil Nadu had its own leaders who were turned into icons. The question that arises is Tamil Nadu politics has always revolved on social justice so what has been the necessity of unveiling the statue of a leader from north India.

Sanjay Kumar said, "Somewhere there is an attempt to convey the message that even though we are from the southern state, we want our influence in north India or the entire country. In short, the message is that we want to play a role in the national politics," he said.

Although Congress had parted ways with VP Singh who quit Rajiv Gandhi's Congress to form Janata Dal, experts believe in the present circumstances, if the opposition is to defeat BJP in 2024 then many old differences have to be forgotten. Moreover, DMK and Congress are now part of an alliance.

VP Singh's son Ajey termed this as the rebirth of the Mandal. “When Mandal Commission was announced in 1990, the then Congress president Rajiv Gandhi said that implementing it means 'opening a can of worms'. Now I see his son on the same boat beating the drum saying BJP is anti-backward. Congress and BJP had both toppled my father's government on this issue. Now, both have adopted it. This has become a political reality and has to be accepted. At that time VP Singh's government was topped opposing Mandal Commission report. So now what is the compulsion that people are adopting it? This proves that my father's political thinking was 30 years ahead of the other leaders of that time," he said.

Meanwhile, a significant development is Akhilesh's name on the invitation card where presence of parties like RJD and JDU, which are considered to be pioneers of social justice, is uncertain.

Responding to this, Sanjay Kumar said it is likely that Akhilesh has been called as part of some strategy, because since VP Singh hailed from UP so UP politics is being given priority. "Maybe Stalin thinks about hoisting VP Singh's Mandal flag in UP through Akhilesh. This means the path to national politics should be made through Uttar Pradesh," he said.

DMK will get two direct benefits from installing VP Singh's statue. The long-term advantage is that DMK is issuing a message to foray into national politics and the short term benefit is to consolidate whatever support base DMK has in Tamil Nadu.

Notably, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has 17 MPs in the Lok Sabha and its supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao has already jumped into national politics. DMK, which has a higher strength of 39 MPs in Lok Sabha, is undoubtedly dreaming of taking a leap into the national politics and reach Delhi from Tamil Nadu.