Villupuram: Hundreds of DMDK members lined up with their families for a five-second photo-op with party chief Vijayakanth here on Tuesday.
If they came dreaming of a lifetime experience with the star-politician, they went home with disappointment writ on their faces as ‘Captain’ would not shake hands or even smile at them.
He just sat in the middle chair among three like a statue and ended up making the precious portrait seem morbidly static. “I brought my wife and kids. We were so excited as we got ready for the event and waited for our turn in the long queue. But the photo experience was so disappointing. We were pushed from the queue into the two chairs on either side of Captain. Someone said ‘look at the camera’ and we did. The next second we were pulled out of the chairs and sent off packing.
The big moment vanished in a split second”, rued a DMDK loyalist making his way back home and struggling to explain to his school-going son why their supreme leader sat like a stone ignoring their adoring smiles.
TV channels went gaga over the photo parade, suggesting this was yet another funny event involving the DMDK leader, who had made headlines cursing party lieutenants — even slapping them in public - and making foot-in-the-mouth gaffes in the past.
However, DMDK’s Villupuram district secretary L. Venkatesan insisted that the show was a “big hit, a huge success” and everybody went home “very very satisfied”.
The event would certainly have a positive impact on DMDK performance in the local body elections “as the district functionaries and cadres have been energised by getting photographed with Captain”.
Asked if the ‘frozen’ pose of Captain did not disappoint the party members, he said, “We had about 6,000 photographs done at one go, working from 10 am to 3.30 pm with just a 10-minute break for lunch when Captain ate in the mandapam itself to save time. We needed to rush so as to satisfy everyone in the long queue and complete the task before the crowds got unmanageable”.
“Besides, there would be problems and people would be hurt and disappointed if Captain shook one person’s hand and had no time to do that with another. And should he lift his hand to place it endearingly upon a cadre’s shoulder, the TV people will at once scream saying he tried to hit the poor fellow”, said the former MLA, adding, “The best thing was for the leader to stay mum and let the flashlights go on”.
