Stalin's son takes baby steps in politics

It is time for the rise of another son in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Udayanidhi, son of DMK Working President M K Stalin, who is an established actor has begun taking baby steps in the rough and tumble field of politics.

For long, Stalin had kept his immediate family out of politics, but the script has undergone tremendous change in the past few months.

In January, Udayanidhi himself announced that he was interested in taking a plunge in politics and since then he has been the cynosure of all eyes in DMK events.

It was hard to miss Udayanidhi in the week-long Cauvery Rights Retrieval Walk that Stalin undertook on April 7.

Stalin's only son was with his father through the week, learning the nitty-gritty of politics, for now, it is sure that Udayanidhi will take the electoral plunge sooner than later, sources in the party said.

Udayanidhi will be the third generation of the M Karunanidhi family to be in politics after his grandfather and father.

Since January, Udayanidhi has addressed at least three public meetings and has made his political intentions clear.

Senior DMK leaders say Udayanidhi is often seen with his father at the DMK headquarters and travels with him whenever he goes on tour in the state to meet people and party cadre.

A firm message about Udayanidhi's political ambitions was sent out on April 12- the last day of the week-long padayatra- when Udayanidhi was allotted a seat in the front row at the public meeting in Cuddalore, though many senior leaders of the party were seated behind.

Former Chennai Mayor and Saidapet MLA, M Subramanian, defended the prominence given to Udayanidhi and welcomed his entry into politics.

"He (Udayanidhi) was born as a DMK member. He was born when Thalapathy (Stalin) was jailed during the Emergency and there is nothing wrong with him taking the political plunge. Why make a big fuss about his entry? He was always in the DMK and worked for the party from the sidelines," Subramanian, a close aide of Stalin, told DH.

However, not everyone in DMK echoes Subramanian's views. A senior leader of the party, who wished to remain anonymous, said promoting Udayanidhi just before the elections would not be a good move.

"There are so many senior leaders who are yearning for recognition in the DMK and promoting someone from the first family yet again before elections will only demoralise the cadre and leaders who have devoted all their energy for the welfare of the party," the leader said.