The Politics of the 2G scam

As the year ends, I finally felt like resurrecting my dead blog, after a gap of 15 months!

This year has been dominated by scams and corruption scandals, from Adarsh to CWG, and several other thousand everyday scams that are part of routine life in India. But surely, the “Best Scam of the Year” award has got to be given to the 2G scam.

I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Raja and his friends on this memorable achievement. Beating the likes of Suresh Kalmadi, Sharad Pawar, Ashok Chavan, etc is no easy task, mind you...

However, instead of the usual bemoaning of corruption in India, I’d like to take a more cynical and sadistic approach and try understand the politics of the scam.

I believe that the scam has got to be read in the light of the actual battle within the DMK, Stalin vs Azhagiri (or Alagiri, as he likes to call himself now!). Anywhere you travel in Tamil Nadu, you will be greeted with tremendously large and numerous posters of the principle players. The sheer number and density of these posters is an indication of the behind-the-scenes jostling for power among the cadres. And depending on the subject of the poster, we can also find out if that area is Stalin-territory, or Alagiri-nadu. Of course, one thing you’ll never find is a poster having both their faces, in equal size!

It’s no secret as to who the “Old Man” prefers. His favourite son and political heir is certainly Stalin. The rise of Alagiri is nothing short of remarkable, a real life Don Corleone. Kalaignar had always tried to do without Alagiri. But Alagiri and his goons just outmuscled all DMK affiliated goons in Madurai. For close to ten years, Madurai witnessed a number of high profile murders of DMK men. All this led to repeated electoral defeats for the DMK in Madurai and the southern districts in general. Thus, for a long time, people considered the south as an ADMK bastion. It climaxed in the murder of Kiruttinan, the Madurai dist. chief of DMK, while he was on his morning walk in 2003, allegedly by Alagiri. Obviously, this case remains unsolved... how convenient!

Thus, the repeated electoral failures, and cadre deaths, convinced Kalaignar that he simply cannot do without his elder son. Alagiri, thus bulldozed his way into the party. The results of the 2006 assembly and 2009 general elections are proof of Alagiri’s effect on the DMK’s southern victories. However, once he joined the DMK mainstream, he realised that within the DMK, Stalin was all-powerful. He saw that all those loyal to Kalaignar would natural become loyal to Stalin. He also saw that the reason for Stalin’s clout was his robust financial base. And that it was all because of his enduring friendship with the Maran empire.

This enemity of the Marans was also mutual. The Marans were firmly, and resolutely on Stalin’s side. They too indulged in their own games, using all their media networks against the “Madurai Veeran”. As a result, his goons in Madurai ransacked and demolished the Maran’s media offices in Madurai in 2008. The fallout of this is obviously known to everybody, with Dayanidhi “resigning” from the cabinet. Kalaignar stepped in and made sure that at least publicly they should portray a united face, which explains the public family reunion in 2009.

Alagiri knew that he cannot possibly compete with Stalin financially. He saw that Dayanidhi Maran was attempting some major scam during his tenure as Telecom Minister. Thus, he made Kanimozhi (one of his few English speaking friends) fight for Raja’s ministership. The 2G scam was thus, Alagiri’s attempt at financial parity with Stalin.

As we all know that electoral victories are proportional to financial clout, one can see how big the stakes for A.Raja were. His job was to sufficiently fund Alagiri’s May 2011 campaign.

Thus we can see the clear link between electoral wins, ministerial berths and party coffers. How the DMK has enjoyed a continuous run in Cabinet from 1999 onwards. How the same period has coincided with the rising financial clout of the Marans. How they have always had ministries like Water Transport, Roadways, IT, Telecom, etc, ministries which are considered “ATMs”. Thus it is this continuous ministerial berth that has helped people like the Marans, T.R.Baalu help the DMK enjoy phenomenal electoral success of late. Not surprisingly, both the above mentioned names firmly in the Stalin camp. Alagiri desperately needed at least one of his people in those ministries.

In this whole story, where is Jayalalithaa, you ask??

As you see, rising finances for DMK meant major electoral defeats for ADMK, and as a result, further loss of revenues for the party. She too finds it increasingly difficult to compete financially with Stalin. Thus, ADMK’s major hope will be to capitalise on a divided DMK vote between Stalin and Alagiri (should Alagiri split the party). Otherwise, for her to beat a combined DMK would be nothing short of a miracle (whether Vijaykanth, or Vijay can help her in miracles is completely another story! )

Also, if at all she does perform a miracle and wins in May. You can expect some really major corruption from her side, because after all, she’s got a lot of ground to cover!!!