Actor-Politicians Are A Fading Lot In Tamil Nadu

You can take away the politician from the actor but never the actor from the politician. Kamalahaasan, the latest entr­ant to the galaxy of actor-­tur­ned-politicians from Tamil Nadu, proved the maxim on March 24. At a public meeting in Coimba­tore where he released his party바카라�s manifesto and its list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, the stage was T-shaped바카라�the vertical part being a long ramp on to which the leader made his appearance.

As he walked the ramp, waving away at the large crowd, Kamal the star inhabited that cinematic moment with practised ease. The politician in him played out two hours later as he used the large screen on the backcloth to tear into the 바카라�shortcomings바카라� of the BJP and AIADMK governments, terming even the DMK and the Congress as 바카라�products of unh­oly alliances바카라�.

A year after he launched Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and got the election symbol of 바카라�torch light바카라� allotted to it, Kamalahaasan has made a bold sally바카라�taking on the two Dravidian majors and their alliances almost all alone. With only a small Dalit party and a farmer바카라�s outfit for electoral company (in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the MNM would support the Trinamool candidate), he has fielded candidates in all 39 Lok Sabha seats of the state and in the 18 assembly bypoll seats as well. In his election manifesto, Kamal has announced 50 per cent reservation for women in jobs, equal pay and large share of profit for farmers. Juxtaposed with Tamil Nadu바카라�s biggest movie idol Rajnikant바카라�s political modesty (After stating his intent to enter politics, Rajni is yet to announce his party바카라�s name), Kamalahaasan바카라�s chutzpah stands out. When you take this with his decision not to contest the Lok Sabha polls himself, the venture seems to be straining credulity.

Other actor-politicians in the state aren바카라�t that relevant in 2019. Illness has robbed Vijayakant, who was seen as an alternative to the two DMKs, of the mac­hismo that anchored both his films and politics. The commercial manner in which he, his wife and his brother-in-law conducted electoral deals has red­uced his DMDK to a bit player, its vote-share falling from a high of 11 per cent in 2009 to just about four per cent now. Playing both the DMK and AIADMK didn바카라�t bode well for his party바카라�s image; the proud 바카라�Captain바카라� has had to settle for just four seats.

The likes of Sharath Kumar, who started a party (AISMK) just to harvest the votes of his Nadar community, T. Rajendar (AILDMK), who fell out with M.K. Stalin and actor Karthik (MUKK), who eyes the Thevar community, have all fallen by the wayside. Actress Khushbu has fitted into the role of a campaigner and spokesperson for the Congress. Indeed, for an actress to be a successful politician means attempting to emulate Jayalalitha바카라�a nearly impossible task.

Whether Kamalahaasan, a three-time national award winner, could emulate the political successes of Karunanidhi, MGR and Jayalalithaa바카라�as film personalities, they are in the same league바카라�will be tested. His decision not to contest as a candidate has raised doubts about his strategy.

바카라�Kamal could simply have said that his party is just a year old and he would rather wait for the 2021 assembly elections. Instead, he has boldly taken the plunge. Since he is the face of the party, he has chosen to devote his time to campaign for every candidate rather than be tied down to a constituency. He would definitely contest the 2021 ass­embly elections, when he will be our chief ministerial face,바카라� explains former IAS officer K.H. Rangarajan, who is MNM바카라�s South Chennai candidate.

But Congress leader Peter Alphonse asserts that actor-politicians do not have the same staying power of a politician. 바카라�We will be around even after blistering election defeats. Our capacity to absorb shocks and setbacks will see us soldiering on. But these stars are so used to box off­ice hits that they would lose interest if their charisma fails to convert into votes after two elections. MGR and Jayalalitha belonged to the previous generation of filmstar-politicians and they had a common rival in Karunanidhi that kept them focused on politics,바카라� he says.

By that theory, if and when Rajnikant launches his party and contests the 2021 election as promised, it could be a one-shot affair. Also, at 68, age is not on his side and he바카라�s rumoured to have health issues. His political future and appeal바카라�a matter of speculation in Tamil Nadu for years now바카라�has started to resemble a post-dated cheque, to be encashed in 2021.

Agrees R. Kannan, biographer of MGR. 바카라�More than Kamalahaasan바카라�s electoral foray, it is Rajnikant바카라�s serious plunge that would det­ermine if the run of the actor-politician would con­­­­tinue. Film actors enjoy an edge over full-time politicians due to their familiarity with the masses. But they can succeed only if they capitalise on their popularity at the right time. MGR was unique as he was a hero even during his political days, while Jaya­lalitha inherited his legacy. So it will not be easy for these new entrants.바카라�

The serious political players also view the actors as a threat, even as they dismiss them as inconsequential. Stalin shrugged off Kamal바카라�s political entry as a passing fad, but Kamal retorted by pointing out that an actor바카라�MGR바카라�had kept the DMK out of power for a decade and hence the DMK바카라�s nervousness in his joining the fray was understandable. He was not off the mark바카라�the DMK had earlier nipped in the bud the political interest shown by actor Vijay.

It바카라�s not that the DMK itself is immune to the glamourous pull filmstars exert on politics. It has always been quick to use the star appeal of actors and actresses to bolster its campaigns, but has skilfully kept their ambitions in check. Khushbu was accorded a warm welcome by Karunanidhi himself before she moved to the Congress, and one of DMK바카라�s current MLAs is an actor. One notable exc­eption is Stalin바카라�s son Udayanidhi, but then he belongs to the first family. Udayanidhi started as a film producer before turning hero and is now a key election campaigner for the DMK. He is also being groomed to be Stalin바카라�s political successor.

바카라�Udayanidhi바카라�s star appeal may not be very high, but multiply it by the family lineage; then it becomes a potent combination. Being a film hero explains his popularity with the public while his rising graph within the DMK is assured by being the son of Stalin. So we are looking at Uda­yanidhi바카라�s transition from film hero to political hero and possibly to people바카라�s hero,바카라� observes Ran­garaj Pandey, political ana­­lyst and founder-CEO of Chanakyaa Digital Media.

While Kamal and Rajni were tempted to make their political forays in 2017 owing to the vacuum created by the demise of Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi, that vac­ancy may not exist any longer. Stalin is already firmly in control of his party and leading a strong alliance. An electoral win will cement his position as a confident leader. Chief minister Pala­ni­swami has turned out to be a shrewd tactician, having survived for two years and has now forged a broad-based front. AIADMK rebel (now AMMK founder) T.T.V. Dhinakaran, too, displays a new kind of political savvy that impresses young voters. The big players, thus, are in no mood to give even manoeuvring space to new ent­rants. Which raises the question바카라�in a crowded political space, where will Kamalahaasan and Rajni­kant fit in?

By G.C. Shekhar in Chennai