The DMK and AIADMK, which have been in power in Tamil Nadu for decades, have been based on the concept of social justice of the Dravidian thinkers. Here the Congress government came to an end in 1967, after which the confluence of Dravidian ideology and welfare state policies has been enticing voters. The defeat of the Samajwadi Party at the hands of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in the recent past has perhaps exposed the extent of the combined OBCs to counter the might of Hindutva. But in Tamil Nadu the story is completely different.
Various political organizations have made many efforts over the years to provide a non-Dravidian alternative to the people here. But this exercise has not been successful on the ground. That is why, the Dravidian ideology continues unopposed even today. On the contrary, other parties in the state have become imitators or shoddy copies of Dravidian ideology. The Left parties here are no exception to this. In the late 1980s, VP Singh and Lalu Prasad Yadav foiled attempts to create a Hindutva wave with OBC power. On 23 October 1990, Lalu Yadav arrested LK Advani in Samastipur, Bihar and stopped his Rath Yatra. Earlier, VP Singh was able to reach the post of Prime Minister only because of the votes of the backward castes.
This time Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Akhilesh Yadav took forward the concept of social justice to unite the OBC votes in Uttar Pradesh. He tried to bring together non-Yadav, non-Jatav Dalits and other most backward communities to form an alliance. He also associated with him various interest groups like farmers. Distribute enough tickets to Muslims. But all his efforts were in vain. So does this mean that social unity alone cannot beat the saffron wave?
The question is also whether there is any lesson in this for the DMK in Tamil Nadu? The BJP has been trying to establish a foothold in the state politics since years. Of course, it hasn’t had much success so far, but despite contesting alone in the recent local body elections, it has seen an increase of about six per cent in its vote share. The unprecedented success of Uttar Pradesh has raised the enthusiasm of BJP workers and its supporters in Tamil Nadu. How will the DMK party fight it?
There are many reasons for the success of Dravidian ideology. Of course, the solidarity of OBC votes is the cornerstone of this movement, yet there are many other factors that make it an invincible political platform. These are self-respect movements, which brought about social changes. Mid-day meal, Re 1 kg rice and other new schemes not only improved the nutritional level here, but also worked to increase enrollment in schools. The continued focus on education created a skilled workforce, which helped the industry in both manufacturing and service matters.
Here other welfare schemes like health care and houses for the poor not only increased the Gross Enrollment Ratio and placed the state on top in many social indicators, but it also helped in improving the financial condition of the state. The government and the ruling party worked together so that the benefits of welfare schemes reach the needy till the last mile of the society. Though some of the populist schemes like free television, mixer, grinder were strongly criticized by a section of the economists, but such free schemes have actually managed to change the lives of many common people.
Politics here has always had a close relationship with cinema. Intellectuals may have frowned upon this, but it cannot be denied that Dravidian leaders know how to effectively use cinema to communicate with the masses. Dravidian thinkers knew the importance of this medium long before the explosion of mass communication. That is why all the parties in the state are aware of the power of the film. Even the BJP, which swears by ideological favoritism, attempted to enter state politics effectively in 2016 with the help of superstar Rajinikanth, but backed out in 2021, as Rajinikanth continued to be active. Declare not to join politics. Since then the party has been working hard to re-establish itself in the state. It is continuously working on the ground to create a network of workers and managers at the booth level. It is also trying to forge alliances with smaller social groups in the state. The BJP is also trying to break its image of being a North Indian party by giving preference to local leaders. An attempt is also being made to woo the DMK towards its side.
However, the need to elevate Stalin’s image now has come to the fore because the BJP attacks Prime Minister Modi, especially when the elections are to the Lok Sabha. The DMK will certainly go to the polls on its own strength of language and local identity, but it will have to strengthen its defense to send enough members to Parliament. Perhaps that is why, the DMK has started projecting itself as a political party that is not against religion. Its leaders are now trying their best to escape their old identity of being atheists.
(These are the author’s own views)