Breakaway parties vanish into thin air in Tamil Nadu

Political parties are born either out of historical necessity or due to overwhelming public opinion. Some survive the test of time while others glitter for only a short time and disappear.

In a democracy, evolution of political parties is triggered by necessity. Most are born out of hunger - hunger for power, hunger for identity and hunger for principles.

Political parties fall under three major categories - parties based on ideologies such as socialism, nationalism, capitalism, Dravidianism and Tamil Nationalism; Parties that strive for power for a linguistic group or state; Parties that work hard to establish their caste identity and gain acknowledgement through democratic means.

The South India Welfare Rights Association, which was formed to represent non-Brahmins who felt they were not given their due importance in the Indian National Congress, later on evolved into the Justice Party and came to power. But when Periyar became the party president in 1944, he changed the name to Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and concentrated more on the abolition of superstitious beliefs and regaining self-respect. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), with CN Annadurai at the helm, was born out of the DK to give vent to the political aspirations of its top leaders.

Following a difference of opinion with M Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran broke out to form Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). Similarly, Vai Gopalaswamy (Vaiko), who was tipped to become the next president of the DMK, broke his relationship and formed the MDMK.

The Swaraj Party was formed by a faction that broke away from the Congress when Mahatma Gandhi called for a boycott of the general election. S Sathiyamoorthy was an important member of the party in Tamil Nadu. Later, the party united with the Congress.

The list of parties that broke away from the Congress after Independence is long. Rajaji broke off and formed the Swatantra Party because he did not agree with Jawaharlal Nehru’s socialist principles. The party emerged as the main opposition party and it disappeared after the death of Rajaji. Some of the political parties that were formed and have vanished since Independence include, the Tamil Nadu Uzhaipalar Party led by SS Ramasamy Padaiyatchi; the Common Wheel Party led by Manickavelu Naicker; the Indian National Democratic Congress and Swatantra Party of Rajaji; Tamil Arasu Kazhagam led by Ma Po Sivagnanam; Janata Party (Tamil Nadu unit) led by P Ramachandran; Gandhi Kamaraj Desiya Congress of Kumari Anandan; Tamil Nadu Kamaraj Congress led by Pazha Nedumaran; Tamilaga Munnetra Munnani founded by Sivaji Ganesan; Rashtriya Sanjay Manch (Tamil Nadu unit) led by Thirugnanam, Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam of Vai Balasundaram and Anna Kazhagam led by Neerottam Adiyar.

Other parties were the Democratic Socialist Party led by S L Krishnamoorthy; Murpokku Muslim League led by Sengam Jabbar; Lok Dal led by Dr. Santhosham; United Party led by AR Damodharam; Labour Socialist Party led by SCC Anthony Pillai; Namadhu Kazhagam led by SD Somasundaram; Tamil Desiya Katchi founded by EVK Sampath; United Communist Party of India led by Kalyanasundaram; Makkal DMK led by R Nedunchezhiyan; MGR Munnetra Kazhagam started by R Bhagyaraj; MGR Anna DMK led by Thirunavukkarasar; MGR Kazhagam led by RM Veerappan; Tiwari Congress led by Vazhapadi Ramamoorthy; Tamil Nadu Rajiv Congress started by Vazhapadi Ramamoorthy; Congress Jananayaga Peravai founded by P Chidambaram; Tamil PMK led by Prof Dheeran; Latchiya DMK founded by T Rajendar and Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam founded by Daily Thanthi founder Si Pa Aditanar.

For many parties in Tamil Nadu, the Justice Party and Congress Party have been the parent organisations.

GK Moopanar broke away to form the Tamil Manila Congress in 1996 when the Congress, against the wishes of the state unit leaders, entered into an alliance with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). At a later time, the TMC on its own allied with the AIADMK. When GK Vasan took over the party reigns, he merged it with Congress and broke away yet again.

Tamil Nadu Uzhaipalar Katchi and Common Wheel Party were formed as they felt there was inadequate representation for the Vanniyar community. They won seats and took part in the Congress government. Later, they united with the Congress.

Freedom fighter Ma Po Sivagnanam walked out of the Congress citing the party’s failure to reflect the emotions of the Tamil people and formed the Tamilarasu Kazhagam. He ran the party for a long time and finally united with the Congress.

Netaji’s Forward Bloc gained prominence in Tamil Nadu under Muthuramalinga Thevar. After the death of the leader the party also lost its sheen and its importance waned.

Daily Thanthi founder Aditanar, who founded the Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam, united his party with the DMK in 1967 and became the Assembly Speaker. He helped lay people gain political knowledge and played a key role in formation of cooperative societies.

Leaders EVK Sampath, Kannadasan, MP Subramaniam, Pazha Nedumaran broke away from the DMK and formed the Tamil Desiya Katchi. Later, they united with the Congress. SD Somasundaram, who walked out of the AIADMK and formed the Namadhu Kazhagam party, later returned to the parent party.

Nedunchezhiyan, who started a new party after breaking away from the DMK and later the AIADMK, found it difficult to manage a political party and reversed his decision, going back to join the AIADMK again.

In those days, parties were born out of their passion for political principles, self-respect and in pursuit of an identity. Most of these parties also had good public support. None relied on money power. But now, parties are born relying mostly on money power.

Sivaji Ganesan walked out of Congress to form the Tamilaga Munnetra Munnani and later became the Tamil Nadu unit president of the VP Singh founded Janata Dal.

Kumari Anandan, who formed the Gandhi Kamaraj Desiya Congress after the death of Kamaraj, united his party with the Congress again and Pazha Nedumaran, who formed the Kamaraj Congress, restricted himself from active politics.

Sivaji Ganesan, T Rajendar and Bhagyaraj who entered politics with the firm belief that their film popularity would help them, failed miserably. Vazhapadi Ramamoorthy, who walked out of the Congress and formed the Tamil Nadu Rajiv Congress, could not run it even after winning elections.

Lastly, after the death of Jayalalithaa, her niece J Deepa, founded the MGR Amma Deepa Peravai. In 2014, there were 180 parties involved in active politics but in 2019, there were only 141 in the fray.