Around 2,000 functionaries from S Seeman‘s Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) party joined the ruling DMK on Friday in presence of party president and chief minister MK Stalin.
Seeman’s sudden provocative statements earlier this month about Dravidian movement founder EV Ramasamy (revered by all particularly Tamil Nadu-based parties as Periyar) led to dissent within his own party – a reason they said was in the decision to leave NTK and join the DMK.
Noting that NTK was also formed with the ideologies of Periyar, Stalin said that Seeman was being dramatic with inflammatory speeches. “The more you get angry and create drama without a political agenda, more cadres from your party are joining us,” Stalin said to Seeman and BJP.
However, Seeman’s remarks on January 9 that Periyar encouraged incestuous relationships drew immediate support from the BJP and the right wing’s proponent S Gurumurthy. Simultaneously, protests by Periyar’s followers spurred across the state and more than 70 cases were registered against Seeman in various parts of the state against his speech.
Seeman’s meeting in November last year with actor Rajinikanth (who was meant to enter the political arena with the BJP’s support) also led to dissent within his own party.
“Periyar remains the core political and philosophical barricade that BJP is unable to break down and present an alternative to the century old political discourse in Tamil society and politics,” says political analyst Ramu Manivannan. “So even the BJP found a common cause with Seeman who is desperate to strike a chord with the electorates in Tamil Nadu with his streak of Tamil nationalism rooted in parochial, chauvinist and separatist politics.”
In the last two weeks, five district secretaries and in-charge of the Krishnagiri zone have resigned from the NTK. Ramachandran, NTK’s former district secretary of Coimbatore (North), joined the DMK earlier this month. According to people familiar with the matter, NTK cadre might also migrate to actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), which was formed last year, even as Seeman openly welcomed Vijay to form an alliance with him but received no response. “A chunk of Seeman’s voter base is likely to go to Vijay,” says political analyst Maalan Narayanan.
“We have been receiving feelers from BJP to join hands with them,” said an NTK leader who did not wish to be named. “We have not reciprocated so far.”
When asked the BJP about the support for Seeman, a senior leader who did not wish to be quoted, said that the national party was open to an alliance with anyone who aims for national interest and wants to defeat the DMK. “But, Seeman doesn’t have national interest. He is not for Hindutva,” the BJP leader said. “Even if he doesn’t directly advocate Hindutva and Sanathana Dharma, he should not speak against it. Then we will consider aligning with him. At the moment, we have only supported his comments against Periyar.”
Seeman started his party with a goal of an independent statehood for Lankan Tamils, a year after the LTTE was defeated in the Sri Lankan war in 2009. A passionate and polarising orator, Seeman has refused to tie up with any party because he fights on the plank of anti-corruption besides Tamil rights. He has dismissed Dravidian parties, espoused a militant Tamil majoritarian and linguistic pride. Their position has been that a Tamilian should rule Tamil Nadu. NTK, posing as an alternative to Dravidian parties, came in as the third largest party with 6.7% vote share in the 2021 assembly elections and registered a 8% vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
While addressing those who got inducted into the DMK on Friday, Stalin said that his party would not be deterred by criticism of the Dravidian ideology and would continue to advocate his Dravidian model of governance. He said that as long as such criticism continued the DMK would continue to grow. He also pointed out a similar situation with governor RN Ravi who has been critical of the DMK.
“Some people demand the withdrawal of governor Ravi. But we have not passed such a resolution in the assembly. He should be the governor and the DMK will grow further,” Stalin said. “Next year too, governor Ravi should come to the assembly and leave without reading the customary address and people must see that.” He also mocked that those who have launched brand new parties are dreaming of ruling Tamil Nadu, without referring to actor Vijay.