TTV party’s name triggers debate on Dravidian tag

This is the second major non-Dravidian party floated in the current year and there is a trend emerging in Tamil Nadu politics with upcoming politicians like actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, along with TTV Dinakaran, deciding to stay away from Dravidian ideology.

Kamal Haasan had recently launched a political party, in Madurai, called ‘Makkal Needhi Maiam’ and though he’s widely known as an person empathising with the Dravidian ideology, had decided not to add the word ‘Dravidian’ to his party name. Staying neutral, he sought to focus on welfare measures alone. 

Similarly, Rajinikanth too has decided to opt for spiritual politics and has chosen the path completely opposite to the Dravidian ideology. Now, TTV, who had emerged from the camp of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, too has dropped the word ‘Dravidian’ from his party name. 

This seems to the new trend emerging in politics in the state. Speaking to DT Next Vanathi Srinivasan, BJP state general secretary, said people are fed up with Dravidian politics for more than 50 years and even many of the politicians who had started a Dravidian party do not know the real meaning of Dravidian ideology. 

However, A Marx, a political expert, rejected the view. Just because TTV has dropped the ‘Dravidian’ name from his party title, does not mean he has moved away from the Dravidian ideology, he said. He will work based on the principles of Jayalalithaa, which in turn is based on Dravidianism, said Marx.

The ruling AIADMK which convened its legislature party meeting on Thursday skipped the issue of three of its MLAs publicly attending the launch of RK Nagar legislator TTV Dinakaran’s new party. The party confined itself to instructing those who attended the meeting to be present in the Assembly on all the four days of the budget session. Three MLAs VT Kalaiselvan (Vridhachalam), E Rathinasabhapathy (Aranthangi) and R Prabhu had attended the party launch. One of the MLAs said, “The party leaders instructed us on how to conduct ourselves in the Assembly. Party co-ordinator O Panneerselvam and joint co-ordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami gave their suggestions to the MLAs.” However, he added that after the MLAs meeting ended, Panneerselvam and Palaniswami held a separate meeting with top party functionaries.