What's funny, or new, one may ask, about two people wrangling over a chief minister's seat. After all, in Indian politics, it tends to happen with the frequency of cat videos going up on YouTube. But Tamil Nadu, as always, has managed to turn the most mundane of political battles into the Amma of all potboilers — with friendship, ambition, power, betrayal and the supernatural thrown into the plot. And who knows, perhaps an anticlimax. Here's all the drama you thought you'd never see outside a movie hall…
1. Voice from the grave
Politicians have always relied on a line-up of dearly departed leaders to buttress their claims or beef up their political pedigree, but OPS' 40 minutes on the Marina put them all to shame. In a truly inspired performance, he kept his eyed tightly shut against the glare of camera lights and flashes, and emerged with an answer — that he should tell all. (We all want that meditation teacher now.) But it wasn't just OPS who called on late chief minister Jayalalithaa for help. Not only did Sasikala leave an envelope of names of MLAs who support her on the grave (much like students who leave their hall ticket numbers with their chosen gods), she also called out a curse upon OPS: "Amma's soul will not forgive Panneerselvam for trying to split the party." Good line Sasi, but sorry, this round went to OPS.
As long as Jayalalithaa was alive, party members never spoke in public except to take her name in reverence, in prose or worse. They'd fall at her feet, weep at their swearing-in ceremony (after she went to jail), but they wouldn't utter a word. In the past few weeks, MLAs and members at all levels of the party have been cheerfully, nostalgically, angrily, righteously speaking out and telling anyone who will listen what they feel. They're giving TV interviews, taking part in debates, holding individual press conferences, allowing reporters to profile them… They've found their voice, and how.
3. Running out of reach
We've always known that our MLAs are a sporting lot — they run around in the assembly with the speaker's mace, hurl mikes, bottles and chairs with the fluidity of shot putters, but one MLA from Tamil Nadu could be a contender for an Olympic sprint medal. AIADMK MLA Shanmughanathan from Srivaikuntam managed to give his minders the slip while the legislators were being herded on to a bus and claims he ran all the way to OPS' house a few kilometres away. Guess he'd heard about the ransom-like demands Chennai auto drivers make for the shortest of trips.
Another who had been bussed to a resort outside Chennai by Sasikala told the media through his secretary that he hadn't been able to answer his phone because it had taken a dunking when he was "doing water sports". Who said our MLAs can play only political games?
4. End is the beginning
So you thought the Loyal No 2 is rewarded at last and that's the end. But no, the loyal friend wins and that's the end. But no, the Loyal No 2 becomes Betrayer No 1 or bahubali, depending on who you believe. And that's not the end. Loyal friend trumps bahubali in game of numbers. And that's not the end. "Your Honour…" will probably have the last word. But that definitely won't be the end…