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Moopanar's followers stranded, divided

N Sathiya Moorthy in Madras

Following Tamil Maanila Congress founder G K Moopanar's death, speculation about the party's merger with the parent Congress has increased.

While the TMC lacks an organisational apparatus -- Moopanar had dissolved all party units weeks ago, preparatory to a post-election restructuring -- its 22 legislators in the company of the seven-member Congress Legislature Party could stake their claim for the status of primary opposition in the state assembly. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam holds that position now with 28 legislators.

Speculation of the merger gained ground with Congress president Sonia Gandhi flying in from Delhi to offer her last respects to Moopanar.

Talk of the merger had gained currency even before the May assembly election in Tamil Nadu, with observers expecting the event to take place after the poll. But that did not happen.

While Moopanar repeatedly expressed his keenness to revive 'Kamaraj rule' in the state and strengthen nationalistic forces, he remained diffident about returning to the Congress, given the high level of factionalism there.

Rather than risk being reduced to just another faction leader, he thought it better to continue to liaise with the parent organisation on his own terms.

But with his death, the cadres are now more inclined towards merging with the Congress, though opinion may be divided in the legislature party. There are some whose loyalties lie with the ruling AIADMK, while others are sympathetic to the DMK.

Indications are that they will all stand together, if only to minimise efforts at poaching from the party, but a lot will depend on the approach of the Congress towards the ruling AIADMK in the days ahead.

That the AIADMK may have its own agenda for the TMC became clear when Jaya TV, which is identified with the ruling party, broke the news of Moopanar's death ahead of Sonia Gandhi's scheduled visit to the hospital even as TMC leaders sought to delay the announcement.

To the extent that Gandhi could only pay homage to the departed leader, it revived memories of the late Indira Gandhi's visit for the funeral of Moopanar's mentor K Kamaraj during the Emergency after 'failing to respect' him in his lifetime.

Sonia Gandhi, however, was said to be keen on working to unite all Congress groups in the state under Moopanar. Even after his exit, she will strive for the same goal, but there is now a question mark over leadership in the state.

Given that Gandhi has been carefully identifying youthful leaders capable of winning elections on their own steam in other states, the chances of TMC Democratic Forum founder P Chidambaram being invited to take over the reins cannot be ruled out. But Gandhi will need time and a proper strategy to make him acceptable to the TMC cadres, who have not forgiven him for deserting Moopanar on the eve of the assembly election.

Alternatively, she may try her luck by letting Moopanar's son Govindavasan lead a unified party, but there are silent critics to this proposal even within the TMC.

Another choice could be Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress president Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, but he has always been seen as a Moopanar-baiter.

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