Note: I wrote this just after the death of Ms J Jayalalitha, when Mr O Panneerselvam revolted against Ms Sasikala. I decided against publishing this on Medium (or here) because I wanted some data and refinements to this article. Now, without all those, I am posting it here as it was written back then.
Before the demise of Jayalalitha (and for a few days afterwards too), Mr. Panneerselvam was a small, insignificant cog in the grand wheel.
Today, the tides have turned and how.
Mountains of praise, support and solidarity have found their way to Mr. Panneerselvam’s campsite. Suddenly, social media has erupted in videos documenting his raise in the party from humble beginnings (move over, Mr. Modi. This is the first chaiwallah, not you). People share, en masse, videos of Ms. Jayalalithaa showering meticulously-woven words of praise on Mr. Panneerselvam.
Ultimately, our lacking in moderation, rationality and skeptical analysis has been laid bare.
Yes, Mr. Panneerselvam should be the Chief Minister. Even Mr. Durai Murugan, an archrival, agrees. Yes, the role befits Mr. Panneerselvam more than it does anyone else in the current setup of MLAs and out-of-the-blue leadership. Yes, Mr. Panneerselvam would be the best choice at this moment.
But remember that all this is a relative measure. He is lesser of the two evils that the electorate currently has as its options. While Ms. Sasikala was almost illegitimately trying to capture the throne, the other (Mr. Pannerselvam) has rightful and competent ownership of the reins. Yet, remember that Mr. Panneerselvam (or for that matter, all the folk from either kazhagams) is not a white knight. Heck, they aren’t even dark knights.
Mr. Panneerselvam, for all the praise, has once been sidelined by Ms. Jayalalithaa. He has probably had his share of run-ins within and outside the party. The fact that Ms. Jayalalithaa favored him over most other senior functionaries indicates his obeisance. By inference, it also exposes the fact that he was more likely to stand for Amma than for justice or public good.
For all his erudition and apparent cleanliness in matters of polity, Mr. Manmohan Singh stood by all the gory misappropriations of the Congress government. What separates Mr. Panneerselvam is that he has voiced a strong opinion against the newcomers but it’s only because of their bid to dislocate him from Chief Ministership.
Nothing gives us reason to be over-zealous in our support for him. A healthy dose of skepticism won’t hurt.