Chennai: An otherwise articulate DMK president M. Karunanidhi appears to have lost his sharp wit of late. At least that is what his letters about Jayalalithaa’s disproportionate assets case suggest.
A reticent Karunanidhi has not categorically stated his views on the verdict thus far. Even in the series of letters he had been penning since Sunday, Karunanidhi conveniently took cover behind courts, quoting citations and judgements extensively.
Even his party treasurer-son M.K. Stalin did better, making strong remarks about the conviction at rallies in Kancheepuram and Tirunelveli. Reproduction of Rajiv Dhawan’s interview to the British media against the Supreme Court granting bail to Jayalalithaa in Tuesday’s edition of the party organ, Murasoli, is an ample indicator of Gopalapuram’s restrained approach that is certainly not helping the party’s political cause. Even his lieutenants are unhappy with their thalaivar’s mellowed down approach.
“There is a general perception among cadres that the letters lack venom. Thalaivar speaks more about the DMK not being responsible for Jayalalithaa’s conviction than hitting out at her. We are surprised,” said a party district secretary requesting anonymity.
“We are aware of the 2G case. But more than 2G, we suspect the high command fears that there is a sympathy wave for Jayalalithaa and people will bear a grudge against the DMK if we go flat out against her,” another state officer-bearer close to Stalin remarked.
In fact, not much was borne out by the district secretaries’ meeting that Karunanidhi had convened at Anna Arivalayam recently to discuss post-conviction violence allegedly perpetrated by AIADMK men. Even at the meeting, the district secretaries were only advised to drag the ruling party supporters to court for the alleged violence and not much wisdom went into popularising Jayalalithaa’s conviction per se. The leaflets and rallies suggested at the meeting continue to elude the undanpirapus still.
