Rajinikanth's 'Old Students' Remark Signals Internal Power Struggles Within The DMK

According to media reports, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is set to travel to the US from tonight (27 August) avowedly to attract investments to the state.

He is expected to be back in Chennai by 14 September. So he is likely to be out of the city for nearly 18 days.

But there is no official announcement till the moment of writing.

That, if sources are to be believed, reflects the extreme fluidity within the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). There is an unstated uncertainty in the party.

Some due to the fact that the party's allies in the state were slightly more vocal about their misgivings. And some due to the fact that the party's seniors feeling less than satisfied with the possible elevation of Udhyanidhi Stalin as the de facto number one in the absence of M K Stalin. 

A possible inkling of the unsavoury situation brewing in the DMK could be seen in the seemingly jocular remark of actor Rajinikanth about the 'old students' within the party and Durai Murugan, who is the senior that the actor openly referred to, responding with unconcealed brusqueness. 

For those tuning in late, Rajinikanth, while releasing a book on M Karunanidhi two days back, appreciated M K Stalin for handling 'old students' like Durai Murugan who are generally difficult to deal with.

"For teachers, handling new students is always easy. But the challenge comes in handling old students. Here, all the old students are rank holders who refuse to leave their class after securing pass marks. There is a person called Durai Murugan, who was very tough even for Karunanidhi to handle. Stalin sir, hats off to you for (handling Durai Murugan)," Rajinikanth said amidst claps and laughter, including from Stalin himself.

Was Rajini Lip-Syncing Someone Else’s Voice?

The actor's fun jibe was not even a thinly veiled one, it was a clear and open shot at Durai Murugan and old guards that now dominate the DMK. There were stray rumours that many of those old-timers were less than happy at the possible lateral entry of Udhayanidhi at the top.

Of course, the DMK has always been one family dynast setup. But it had Karunanidhi to manage it without many deep or visible repercussions outside.

But with Stalin showing less authority than his late father, things are decidedly less smooth in the party affairs. Somebody like Durai Murugan, a bit of a loose cannon, was always a candidate to stir some trouble. Rajnikanth's speech wasn't innocuous or just for fun as it may seem so for some.

If he had not taken any name, then the superstar's speech may have been easy to overlook as just another attempt to trigger claps and guffaws. Also, it is hard to believe that he would have raked up Durai Murugan's name without some indication from the first family of the DMK.

Rajini has always maintained a more than cordial relationship with Stalin and his son. It can be assumed that he was merely articulating some kind of dissatisfaction from Karunanidhi's family towards a few of the seniors in the party who may have exhibited signs of putative protest. 

That Durai Murugan reacted rather tetchily and sharply — a bit unlike him — shows that he has understood the game behind the remarks of Rajini.

Durai Murugan, for his part, retorted: "some actors continue to dominate the tinsel town even after losing their teeth." For good measure, he added: "I can also say that old actors don’t let young actors take the limelight. They act even after growing old and losing teeth."

It sounded peevish and churlish. But the old man is clearly hurt. He is not the type to bring the fight out in the open. And the DMK is also not such a party as it has managed to maintain implicit obedience to its first family. But it is apparent that things are not hunky dory among those who occupy the top echelons in the DMK.

Allies Too Move In For Their Pound Of Flesh

Outside, too, the party is facing some rough weather from its allies, who hitherto had been more accommodative than an affable father-in-law to his new son-in-law. There is a belief that the DMK has gone pally with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in the last few weeks — the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the release of a commemorative coin on Karunanidhi. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai was also an invitee to the function.

The Tamil Nadu Congress chief had much earlier voiced his displeasure over the DMK and dropped hints that his party cannot be expected to be a handmaiden of the Dravidian outfit for long.

The other allies like VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) and the communists have also let loose some sporadic criticism at the DMK government. The deteriorating law and order situation in the state and the rising drug culture have all drawn flak from them. 

The just concluded Global Muthamizh Murugan Conference in Palani has had the VCK foaming at the mouth. The meet passed resolutions to hold competitions for students studying in institutions run by Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department on bhakti literature on Lord Murugan. It also decided to promote recitation of Kanda Shasti Kavacham by the students during festival days. 

This may be DMK's gambit at soft Hindutva as its anti-Hindu rhetoric was tough to continue in a situation where people are waking up to the realities elsewhere. But the DMK's allies aren't happy. D Ravikumar, VCK’s member of Parliament expressed shock at the resolutions, describing them as saffronising education. It is condemnable, he said.

Whatever may be the case, allies look unhappy and its own senior leaders seem miffed. Amidst all this Stalin is taking off on a trip.

He may be going to distant America, but a lot looks set to happen at home.