Karunanidhi, India's real kingmaker

It’s a common joke in India’s political lobby that the ruling UPA government gets influenza whenever Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and key ally Muthuvel Karunanidhi sneezes.

Known for his strong-arm tactics as a partner in the ruling coalition, the DMK supremo has got his way around a number of issues just by making his opinions heard, loud and clear.

Whether it was his dictat on the Neville Lignite Corporation - which resulted in Governmnet putting off the disinvestment process as a whole – or the manner in which Centre is continually bowed to his wishes regarding the resignation of AIIMS director P Venugopal, it’s obvious that UPA is constantly bending over backwards to please MK.

Now as the grand old man of Tamil Nadu politics gears up to celebrate his 50 years in state Assembly against a violent backdrop of violence in Madurai, CNN-IBN debates if regional leaders like him are the real kingmakers in India’s polity.

On the panel to discuss the issue on Face the Nation with Sagarika Ghose were Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan and MDMK leader K S Radhakrishnan.

Dark glasses too ‘scary’ for UPA?

The violence in Madurai, that is being blamed on the sibling rivalry between MK’s two sons – M K azagiri and M K stalin – could not have come at more inappropriate a time. However, this doesn’t seem to have affected leaders of UPA much considering the top brass including Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi have rushed to Chennai to participate in the celebrations.

Is UPA government scared of Karunanidhi? Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan couldn’t agree less. She maintained the while MK was “an important part” of the alliance, there was no question of anyone being “scared.”

“The way you put it is very interesting but it doesn’t portray the correct picture. Obviously just as any other alliance partner, the views of DMK and its leader will be taken very seriously by UPA. And I don’t see anything wrong at all if he is saying something that he deems very important for Tamil Nadu, if PM and UPA government take it seriously and take a collective decision to follow his advice and request,” she said.

But it’s undeniable that Karunanidhi has always been driven by the family-party agenda. That he puts the interest of Tamil Nadu and DMK before the national interest has been exempliefied in more ways than one on previous occasions too.

What if Karunanidhi puts the Government on the mat on the quota question and demands both Houses of Parliament be summoned or Constitution has be amended, will the UPA not be in a bind?

DMK’s strong-arm has UPA weak in knees

Natarajan played safe and said their party “would rather give up their government” that bend to anyone’s demands. “The Indian National Congress and PM have the greatest integrity to not allow something wrong from happening. I think we’d rather give up our government rather that do anything wrong. So while all the allies say what they think is right and every decision is a collective decision, I would like to say very clearly that INC will do the right thing for the country and act according to its constitution and principle,” she said.

She also said if what Karunanidhi said was wrong, Sonia Gandhi and Manomohan Singh would be able to convince him to change his mind. “There is no question of dictation and it’s unfair on Karunanidhi to say that he dictates terms. He just puts through the process as it should be.”

However the other panelist did not seem to agree at all. Radhakrishnan is a member of MDMK, Vaiko’s party. Vaiko was once a key lieutenant of Karuna who then switched teams for key opponent Jayalalithaa.

Family matters: A dynastic outfit

He opined that Karunanidhi is running a dynastic outfit and has completely diluted the ideology of DMK.

“He is encouraging of dynastic rule. His approach is ‘by the family, of the family and for the family’. Our leader Vaiko was expelled from DMK because of this. He only thinks of his family, sons and grandsons,” he said.

But has Karunandhi ever done anything good for Tamil Nadu? Radhakrishna thought otherwise. “He talked of autonomy for the state. Now what happened to it? He formed a committee and came out with a report. That’s it. Nothing ever came out of it. Same was with the Cauvery water issue,” says Radhakrishnan.

However, Congress – clearly out to defend MK – differed. While DMK has always been a party that was ideologically opposed to the Congress and has even been accused of being involved in Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, Natarajan said Karunanidhi was a reliable ally with “ceratin principles.”

To trust or not to trust

“Mr Karunanidhi is a politician of certain stature and some principles. He has allied with us now and we consider him a very important ally. Our alliance is based on principles. Mr Radhakrishnan spoke of state autonomy. I think it’s great that people finally beginning to understand that India is one integrated country. It will be very wrong to propagate anything that will take Tamil Nadu away from India,” she said.

When reminded that DMK’s core ideology has always been that of secession and separation from India, Natarajan wrapped up the discussion by saying, “They gave up the idea when Annadorai was still alive.”

So as Karunanidhi marks 50 years in state Assembly, it’s for time to tell whether he will yet again emerge as the kingmaker in the General Elections of 2009.

Final results of the SMS poll:

Are regional leaders like Karunanidhi the real kingmakers in India’s polity?

Yes: 52 pc

No: 48 pc

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