Professionals to pick DMK candidates for Assembly polls

The DMK which began its journey in Robinson Park in September 1949 has chosen to engage professionals. The party which took on the likes of Kamarajar, Bhaktavatsalam, MGR and Jayalalithaa with its sheer organisational strength and battery of crowd pulling platform speakers would henceforth take inputs from paid professionals of I-PAC to defeat the AIADMK and wannabee CMs from Kollywood in 2021.

One of the key conditions of the agreement reached with I-PAC, DMK sources said, was identification of candidates for the ensuing Assembly polls. Unlike the previous in-house think tank led by Sunil who was shown the door, the new strategist could be a professional of the top order.

“Prashant Kishor does not liaison with party regional satraps. We learnt that he keeps party men at arm’s length,” said a party source. “Building personal rapport with district secretaries was Sunil’s undoing. The new team, we are told, engages a strong team of a few hundred field workers who tour the state, clandestinely elicit cadre views and identify candidates. They will assess the strength and weaknesses of potential candidates individually and recommend three per constituency to the party leader,” a DMK insider said.

“It seems they would only communicate with the president directly and that too on appointment basis. They have given the leadership a precursor to the way the project would be the executed. Any clarification, if sought by Stalin, would be individually given. I-PAC has categorically told the leader that they will not own up to the poll outcome (defeat) if there is any deviation vis a vis candidate selection by the leadership,” the insider added.  

The old guard feel threatened and reluctantly receive the new team with a grain of salt. Though the professional touch would eliminate ‘middlemen,’ one cannot help suspecting the credibility of the inputs.

“Indeed, it will minimise the influence of sycophants ..and district secretaries pitching their undeserving rich friends. But, it does not mean that professionals will shortlist candidates accurately. They go by inputs given by cadre on field. How can we be sure that the cadre or people give honest inputs? Professionals do not also know the internal dynamics,” said a senior party functionary.

“It is fair on actors and newcomers to engage professionals. Why do we need paid professionals? Who did we engage in 2006 or 1996? They are only replacing one company with another. We fear the party leadership is losing its grip...... Even Stalin knows the party organisation very well ,” remarked a sceptic functionary requesting anonymity.

“Have they lost faith in the district secretaries? If yes, they should change the them, not bring outsiders. The high command is only alienating itself from the field workers,” he added.  

However, those in the know said, “A major part of their assignment will be brand building for the party president. They will take control of the IT wing. Traditional event managers in the party will be given a go by,” said anotherfunctionary.