DMK plans to go alone in Puducherry after many years. Here is how they plan to build their party and who they plan to project as CM.

While Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) are the two major parties in Tamil Nadu, that is not the case in neighbouring Puducherry.

The last time DMK had its own chief minister was in 1996 (and even that time they had just seven seats and led a coalition government). AIADMK hasn't ruled since even earlier.

The last few elections in Puducherry has been a fight between the Indian National Congress, and the All India N. Rangaswamy Congress (AINRC).

DMK is currently running a coalition government with Congress as the senior partner. It has just three seats in the 30 member legislative assembly.

Why does DMK want to go alone?

Until now, the alliance between the two parties has benefited DMK as well as Congress. However, in the next assembly elections, DMK feels that a majority of people are against the Congress led government. So even if the alliance helps DMK win seats, their MLAs won't be able to become ministers. So this would be the best time to try something new. They may have a lot to gain, and won't have much to lose. Even if they don't win a majority of seats, they can have a post-poll alliance with either Congress or N. R. Congress. If they were to have a pre-poll alliance with Congress, it would not be possible to have a post-poll alliance with N. R. Congress (Unlike many parties, DMK always sticks to its 'alliance dharma.')

How can DMK expand itself so fast?

In the 2016 assembly elections, DMK contested nine seats, and won just two. The strike-rate was low even though they were allied with Congress. Deciding to Contest all the seats is easy, but how are they planning to win a reasonable number of seats?

One way would be to project a popular leader. But DMK doesn't have anybody so popular in its Puducherry unit.

Another way would be to get many prominent people to join the party and build a strong base. But that would cost quite a lot of money. And suppose they lost after spending so much money? DMK would have to spend money on Tamil Nadu as well (which is more important for them). It would definitely be a big loss to the party if they were to spend so much money and end up losing the elections in Puducherry. And even if they were to win, it would have still cost a lot of money which could be used more efficiently in Tamil Nadu.

And yet, DMK has a strong cadre base and many campaigners in Tamil Nadu who can work in Puducherry as well. And the party is very well known. People who want a change from Congress would by default support N. R. Congress which was ruling between 2011 and 2016. But if DMK becomes prominent, people can support it and get even more of a 'change.'

What do individuals often think when they are earning a lot of money?

Various thoughts may come to mind when people collect a lot of money. They may want to spend it on their children's education; on living in a more comfortable house with better furniture; on saving up some money in case there is a medical emergency; and some other things.

However, there is generally a limit on the amount of money a person can spend. After a point, earning even more money won't make much difference. But people still continue to do it since they have already started.

Initially businessmen may be so engrossed in their business that they won't have much time to think of anything else. But later on they may have other thoughts as well. Some people want to spend their money in a way they can do good for the public and (some of them) want to be remembered as people who did good for the public. One might fulfill this desire by becoming the prime minister or a chief minister, but that is a bit impractical for most people.

Jagathrakshakan's background:

Jagathrakshakan is the Arakkonam MP from DMK. He has been an MLA once and an MP four times. Though he has been in politics for a long time, he is not very well known. His main occupation has been doing business.

In mid 2019, his total assets amounted to ₹114 Crores (His liabilities were ten times as much, but as long as he has not repaid loans that he has taken, he is still rich!). And his family and friends may have also got some money through his business.

He is from Tamil Nadu. To expand his political base in Tamil Nadu won't make much difference. Tamil Nadu has more than six crore registered voters. However, neighbouring Puducherry has an electorate of just 10 lakh voters.

So Jagathrakshakan is just the person DMK needs in Puducherry. He has the money, and DMK has the campaigning system in place. He may make a huge loss, but it won't affect him so much considering he is very rich. And there is a good chance of him becoming chief minister. If he becomes chief minister, and M. K Stalin becomes chief minister of Tamil Nadu, DMK will be one of the few parties to have multiple chief ministers (the others being BJP and Congress).

The alliance between DMK and Congress is likely to continue in Tamil Nadu. Congress was asking party president M. K. Stalin to intervene and let the alliance continue in Puducherry as well. Jagathrakshakan attended a party meeting in Puducherry on 18th January 2021 and made a very strong statement in favour of DMK going alone in the UT.

Will Jagathrakshakan have other rich partymen as rivals?

Jagathrakshakan is not only rich, he is also a Lok Sabha MP. DMK is currently the third largest party in the Lok Sabha. So he will be able to get a lot of attention. He can raise many issues related to Puducherry.

There are a few other extremely rich DMK MPs, but he has an advantage over them: He belongs to the Vanniyar caste which is a major caste in Puducherry.

DMK's strategy for the remaining part of the current assembly:

If DMK withdraws support from the Congress led government, it will fall. However, DMK does not want to topple the government, and yet it wants to be against it. So its MLAs have been boycotting all assembly sessions. This reduces the house to 27 in which Congress has absolute majority.

What if Jagathrakshakan wins?

It remains to be seen what will happen if Jagathrakshakan wins. He will put a lot of money into the elections. Will he focus on doing good work, or will he get back to doing business (or both)?

From being hardly known, he is suddenly becoming very prominent. This is his statement during a meeting with party meeting on 18th January:

If we don't win all 30 constituencies, I will take my own life on this stage.