Although yesterday’s dastardly attack on Dinakaran was sparked by an ego clash between the younger members of the Karunanidhi and Maran families, it underlines how dynastic politics has become an acceptable leitmotif of our democracy at the grassroots level. In every party of stature, sons, daughters, nephews, nieces have turned power politics into a family enterprise, without any qualms.
If it’s Stalin and Azhagiri in the DMK, it’s Kumaraswamy and Revanna in the JDS. If it’s Uddhav and Raj Thackeray in the Shiv Sena, it’s Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar in the NCP. If it’s Omar Abdullah in the National Conference, it’s Akhilesh Yadav in the Samajawadi Party. A sitting representative is always replaced by a family member; if there’s reservation, the women are always proxies for the males.
So, is dynastic politics any longer a Congress specialty? Does politics flow in the genes? Or is this the only way of getting ignorant, illiterate voters interested? Is following in your father’s footsteps something to look down upon when doctors want their children to be doctors? Or is dynastic politics a misnomer since the candidates get elected any way? And, is Indian politics a thriving family business?
Early in life, if a heir of a political leader gets to feel and taste the power , then obviously he will try to be in the track ! It’s like becoming a maneater. The taste of blood ( here the power ) is luring. Its craving for power that’s innate in humans.
Nice, thoughtful post.
This episode also exposes another ugly face of Media, being owned and manipulated by politicians!
Congressmen will lick Gandhis a*** to stay in power. Now Pawars, Yadavs , Gowdas and MKs are on the list. They are power brokers and King makers. They make and break the rules.
Dynasties are holding the country at ransom with caste and religion politics.
Karunanidhi was trying to shake UPA govt by threat, bluff and bluster and now his own children are trying the same tactics. Maadiddonno maharaya and same thing is happenign with Kumaraswamy and Revanna.Any guesses who may be behind all this? The answer is not difficult if we know what happened in Mahabharat and Ramayana
My relative who works in Chennai ( must be a rare Kannadiga there!) says that the only way to remove the dynasties of Karunanidhis and Marans is through the process of implosion!
Yup! I agree. Ole thiru Karuna will be meeting his devil (as he does not believe in a maker) when one of his sons will go berserk a la Nepal style!
DMK should be called DFK Dravida Fratricide Kalagam.
WWhat Bapu has said is very much true .the dynasty rule shud end