TN bypoll: A grandson campaigns for another grandson

Having emerged as the poster boy of the DMK, the party's Youth Wing secretary and Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is a star campaigner for the Congress, an alliance partner, in the by-poll for the state assembly from Erode East. Interestingly, the grandson of the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi is canvassing support for veteran Congressman, EVKS Elangovan, grandson of Dravidian icon 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy, writes ETV Bharat's MC Rajan.

Chennai:As the campaign for the by-election to the Tamil Nadu assembly enters the final phase, the political temperature has soared in the urban constituency. After a hectic round of roadshows by versatile actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Hassan and the woman face of the DMK, Kanimozhi, the DMK's GenNext leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has landed in Erode to take on the AIADMK.

Though the Congress is contesting the seat, the ruling DMK, the grand old party's ally, is shouldering the entire burden of the campaign. His presence has electrified the poll scene. Though not an orator in the typical Dravidian mould, he has a knack for engaging the audience and his celluloid image of a boy next door is also an advantage for the young neta.

What is of significance is Udhayanidhi (45) is garnering support not for a novice but for a veteran, the irrepressible EVKS Elangovan (74), a former TNCC president and an Ex-Union Minister. More than that, he is the grandson of anti-Brahmin rationalist social reformer, 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy. And, in the past, the Congress leader had been a trenchant critic of the Dravidian parties - DMK as well as the AIADMK. He had the temerity to call Jayalalithaa as 'Komalavalli Ammu' and demand Karunanidhi, heading a minority government with Congress support, a share in power.

Periyar, a native of Erode, had died issueless and EVKS is the grandson of EV Krishnasamy, elder brother of Periyar. His father, Sampath, a great orator, parted company with him and was in the DMK founded by CN Annadurai. Then he dabbled with Tamil nationalism before joining the Congress. Though the grandson of Periyar, EVKS is no Periyarist. His mother Sulochana Sampath was a top AIADMK leader. Starting his political career as a student leader in Congress, EVKS earned a reputation for his outspoken and no-nonsense approach. He is contesting against the AIADMK's KS Thennarasu, a two-time MLA.

Though there are 77 candidates in the fray, including from the ultra-Tamil nationalist Naam Tamilar Katchi of filmmaker Seeman and actor Vijayakant's DMDK, the contest is primarily between the Congress and the AIADMK. The by-election is necessitated by the demise of Congress MLA, Thirumahan Everaa in early January this year. Polling is slated for February 27 and counting is on March 2.

“The grandson of 'Kalaignar' (Karunanidhi) has come to seek votes for the grandson of Periyar. Last time, you elected Thirumahan Everaa by a margin of 9000 votes. He had performed well and his father had come to continue that work. This time you should see that he wins by a margin not less than 50000 votes,” Udhayanidhi said on Monday night, kick-starting his campaign.

Slamming AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palanisami (EPS) for questioning whether Chief Minister MK Stalin is manly, Udhayanidhi asked, “See how he speaks from Periyar's native soil, the place of social justice.” Then, he displayed the picture of EPS crawling at the feet of Sasikala when he was announced as the Chief Minister. “You have neither been loyal to Jayalalithaa nor to VK Sasikala, who elevated you as the Chief Minister. Not even to O Panneerselvam (OPS) who was with you. Your loyalty is only to your masters - Modi and Amit Shah,” he said.

Like in the 2021 assembly election when he captivated the electorate with a brick from the yet-to-be-constructed AIIMS Hospital in Madurai, as promised by the BJP-led Union government, he displayed a brick to the audience. With this, he continues to put the BJP on the back foot. It was announced in 2019 and Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone three years ago, but construction is yet to commence. Hence, it has resonance among the voters.