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After 2G verdict, DMK is no longer an untouchable for BJP

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The verdict is now bound to enthuse the DMK cadre and strengthen Stalin, especially amid the crippling confusion in the AIADMK.

The 2G scam was something which created tremors in some political parties and was responsible for the defeat of the Congress and the DMK in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The whole country was watching for the court verdict after six years. But creating an anti-climax, the court has acquitted all the 14 accused, including former telecom minister A. Raja and Kanimozhi, DMK chief Karunanidhi’s daughter.

The BJP used the scam and the figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore loss to dub the Manmohan Singh government as corrupt and weak.

The verdict is likely to have far-reaching impact on the state as well as national politics, resulting in realignment of political forces. The DMK will be a great beneficiary because the party lost the 2014 polls mainly due to this 2G scam, which the former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had utilised fully as a poll issue.

Thursday’s judgment is bound to result in the resurgence of the Dravidian party not only in the state but also at the national level. Even before the verdict, the DMK had emerged stronger in the post-Jayalalithaa period as the AIADMK made a three-way split in the past one year. There is no charismatic leader in the AIADMK after Jayalalaithaa as well.

Though Karunanidhi had taken a backseat, leaving the space for his second son M.K. Stalin, the latter is not a charismatic leader. Being a cadre-based party, the DMK had remained united in the past one year. The verdict is now bound to enthuse the cadre and strengthen Stalin. Moreover, with so much confusion in the AIADMK, this is a boost for the DMK to try to fill the political vacuum left after the death of Jayalalithaa.

Secondly, the DMK might be an important political pole for the anti-AIADMK forces in Tamil Nadu. The acquittal opens up more opportunities for the DMK to forge alliances in the future.

Even for the BJP now, the DMK may not be untouchable any more. After waiting for a year to ride piggyback on the AIADMK, the disillusioned BJP was looking to find a foothold in the state where it does not have a single MLA. In fact, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Karunanidhi’s residence recently, there have been speculations that the DMK, which was once part of the NDA might return to it.

There are also speculations that a deal had been struck between the two parties that they would fight the 2019 polls together in return for a favourable verdict. The DMK has a solid vote base of about 31.6 per cent and any party, which aligns with it, might do well.

Thirdly, the verdict may help the DMK in the R.K. Nagar bypoll as the polling took place amid speculations that the DMK would emerge as a winner. The by-election was necessitated due to Jayalalithaa’s death. The DMK has fielded Maruthu Ganesh, a former journalist, to contest the election. The acquittal, which was announced Thursday morning, was expected to strengthen the DMK’s chances.

Fourthly, the ruling AIADMK-led E. Palaniswamy–O. Pannerselvam combine might suffer a setback with a resurgent DMK in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. If the BJP decides to go with the DMK as an alliance partner, the AIADMK would simply wither away without any credible face to lead the party. Then the Congress has to look for an alternative to piggyback.

The verdict has also come as a shot in the arm for the Congress, which has been gloating over the recent good performance in the Gujarat polls. Rahul personally will also get a boost. The Congress would like to continue its alliance with the DMK. It will also give some advantage to the new Congress president in building up a new coalition for the next year’s assembly elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claims that, “judgment speaks in itself”.

Though the CBI plans to go on appeal, the question arises: Is this a case like the movie ‘Nobody killed Jessica Lal?’ Was there no fraud or kickback at all? Was it the imagination of the then CAG Vinod Rai? Or was it something else? Why did the CBI make a weak case as commented by the judge? If nobody was found guilty, why did the case drag on for six years? There are no answers for these questions right now.

Kalyani Shankar is a columnist, former Political Editor of the Hindustan Times and former Washington correspondent of the Hindustan Times.

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