People may call it bizarre and eccentric if someone says Mr. EP Palanisamy (EPS), the chief minister of Tamil Nadu is really a great leader with exemplary charisma, ability to harmonize and balance diversity and adversity in equal measure.
If we analyse the history of Tamil Nadu politics, we can find only three Chief Ministers such as Kamaraj, MGR and Amma J Jayalalitha to have rare and virtuous leadership qualities in true sense. No other Chief Minister of the state has shown such extraordinary and rare leadership quality like the three leaders and all the three leaders were self-made leaders, came to power owing to own strength, conviction and love of people.
The story of Karunanidhi was not the same. Periyar initiated anti-Brahmin, anti-God, anti Hindu movement, which got further fueled by anti-Hindi agitation. Such hate and negative politics gave birth to the political party called DMK. Anna came to power and within years, handed over the mantle to Karunanidhi. Thereon, the struggle of Karunanidhi was just to retain the power and thankfully he filled the party with his family members and members of the extended family (Muthu, Murasolli Maran Stalin, Alagiri, Murasoli sons, daughter etc) and that is how he ensured both the treasury of the party and the power are always rest with the family.
In the recent times, Tamil Nadu has produced yet another great and extraordinary leader called EPS.
EPS stand fourth tallest leader in the pecking order in Tamil Nadu politics. EPS was not the natural choice for CM post by Sasi family but it was meant more as stop-gap chief minister for TTV to fill it later. TTV planned to contest the RK Nagar constituency that got vacated due to the demise of Amma. TTV was of the assumption that if he wins the RK Nagar constituency from where Amma won, he would be seen as the natural successor of Amma so that he can easily drags the CM chair from EPS. But EPS realized the truth that TN and party cadres want him to continue as CM of TN to fulfil the dreams of late Amma as well as he must unite all warring factions of the party and must regain the party symbol.
EPS does not belong to any dynasty where the party and all sycophants already exist to support him. Nor EPS has established business link in tinsel world all over Tamil Nadu to have both money and muscle power.
EPS was a humble worker of AIADMK and sincere foot solider of Amma and MGR. The challenges of EPS were huge, visible, invisible, from own party as well as from the arch rival party. EPS learned the art of balancing the diversity, turned every adversity into opportunity and is governing the state to fulfill the dreams of Amma to people.
Lord Ram fought war against mighty Ravan with the army of monkeys that too in the battle field of Ravan. Ravan had the support of his entire country, army, knows fully well about the battle field. But Lord Ram travelled from Ayodhya to faraway Sri Lanka, fought the demon Ravan and won the war. Similarly EPS also came to power without any great support, but made sure that his personal attacks and challenges should not cause any sufferings to the state.
Under the guidance of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, EPS is developing the state efficiently. The recent poll survey has shown EPS in poor light with reference to who is the most preferred CM face.
Greatness of any leader should be measures not based on how much support they enjoy from the legacy that they inherit, how many sycophants are around them to praise and please, how many people are around them waiting for a chance to come to power to loot the state but the greatness must be gauged based on how simple and humble was the beginning, how many challenges they had to face due to their humble origin, how wise they are in unifying the differences and how they articulate the agenda of development and govern the state.
The president of DMK cannot be compared with EPS because DMK president has inherited the party after the demise of his father, all those present top level leaders were the part and parcel of grooming the present president of DMK when he was born, been in the club of sycophancy and naturally want the president of DMK to lead the party exactly like congress to Rahul Gandhi. Besides that all those benefited by Kalaignar by different ways and means are there to support the dynast so that their share of benefit would continue without any aberration. But EPS does not enjoy any such support or legacy but still able to run the government which is very difficult manage due to the inherent differences.
Should we not credit EPS the due share of greatness that he deserves? EPS is a great leader and much needed leader for Tamil Nadu and not the politics of dynasty.
If we want to counter EPS government to be corrupt, was the DMK government free of corruption in the past? Which party was alleged to have engaged in highest scam of the century- 2G scam, scripted the downfall of congress party at the centre, Aircell-Maxis scam, Telephone scam etc.?
The leadership of EPS and BJP combination is must for Tamil Nadu and not the politics of two dynasts. People must differentiate the success of born Prince and the one who is born in non-princely family.
If EPS has absolute majority and continuous guidance of the PM Modi, the state would prosper and develop much faster and certainly PM Modi also will ensure the state to be free from corruption. Further the politics of negativism, hatred, anti-Brahmin, Anti-Hindu also would come to an end if BJP-EPS sage begins in the state.
