DMK unleashes a battery of talking heads on primetime TV

CHENNAI: A couple of months after the ruling AIADMK formed a nine-member panel for taking part in television debates, DMK came up with its list of 13 spokespersons. The committee comprises former MP TKS Elangovan, senior leaders like KS Radhakrishnan, students’ wing secretary Ila Pukazhendhi, former MLA M Appavu besides nine advocates. A relatively recent phenomenon, the debates that model themselves on talk shows in English channels and anchored by Tamil Arnabs don't just provide a platform for political parties but also nuanced infotainment at primetime. The DMK’s team is relatively young. “We will have internal discussions on issues before sending our people for TV debates. Our team members are well aware of the policies of the party and they have been closely following the leadership. This team will echo the voice of the party,” DMK spokesperson and a senior member in the team T K S Elangovan told TOI. The other members of the committee include advocates Thamizhan Prasanna, Siva Jayaraj, I Paranthaman, V Kannadhasan and Thiruvidaimaruthur MLA Govi Chezhian and Manuraj Shanmugasundaram. Though the AIADMK is in power in the state and BJP is in power at the Centre, the party believes it has been successful in putting the spotlight on them and has instead been at the receiving end. The party’s stand on Sri Lankan Tamils, 2G cases as well as disproportionate assets cases against former ministers have brought in adverse publicity for DMK. The party hopes that the panel with many young, forceful speakers can aggressively defend the party in the debates. The youthful team will also help to deflect criticism that the party is not giving enough attention to its younger crop of leaders. “The team will show the nation that the DMK has attracted young people. They have adopted our ideology,” a senior leader said. The party has included Manuraj, who is the son of senior counsel and former MP Shanmugasundaram in the panel, to participate in national channel debates in Delhi. The state units of national parties like Congress and BJP have already formed such dedicated panelists for TV shows. Congress and BJP panelists have been vociferous and more visible than regional parties in recent debates. Among regional parties, PMK has a dedicated team. It has classified its panelists as main team and sub-team. The Left parties also have a dedicated panel. Vijayakanth’s DMDK is the only party that doesn’t participate in the debates.