Mr O Panneerselvam (OPS) – A true leader or cleaver politician?

Several political pundits in India have opined that Mr. OPS lost the plot during confidence motion in TN assembly as he was virtually invisible. The political pundits further claimed that the show was stolen by the opposition bench.

Detailed interaction with several people in Tamil Nadu from different socio-economic and educational strata has revealed that indeed OPS has already won the heart of people and not the winner of number game or the one who tries to fish from muddled water by creating noise and furry in the assembly really won.

Day before the trust vote, OPS requested all legislatures to cast their vote in consultation with own conscience. OPS when decided to fight alone or with several like minded people who might join him essentially to save the legacy of Amma and not for position or any favour, OPS displayed the spirit of a statesman and spoke to the fellow statesmen of the country and not to voters. He was clear that he did not want to play vote bank politics and engage in any gimmickry but must reach out to the conscience of people of Tamil Nadu.

OPS to my mind would never wish the defeat his fellow legislatures who won solely due to the appeal of Amma. People of Tamil Nadu have elected all those legislatures of AIADMK only because of Amma and therefore as a true follower of Amma, OPS would have wished only those legislatures to follow the principles of Amma who always fought against dynasty and family politics.

The above true spirit and philosophy of Amma only would have made OPS to watch patiently in the assembly so that the legislatures could hear their inner voice more loudly than all that noise and furry taken place in TN assembly.

Most of the people of Tamil Nadu are with OPS and strongly believe that OPS never wants to break AIADMK but indeed wants to unite everyone to continue and complete all those unmet missions of Amma.

Like how MGR followed the path shown by Anna, and how Amma followed the paths of MGR, OPS also wants the party and its legislatures to follow the paths of Amma while taking cues and guidance from late Anna and MGR. He never wanted the party or its followers to follow the paths of anybody else or revolve around any likely treasure.

Ordinary vegetable vendor to milk vendor, cart puller to auto driver, all those voted the legislatures of AIADMK wants the partly to follow the path shown by Amma and not Chinnamma. Amma has shown OPS as the natural successor of the party and he was the undoubted choice for CM post when Amma she has step down as CM of Tamil Nadu due to some constitutionality.

Large section of people in Tamil Nadu feels that OPS revolted at the end not to continue as CM but to save the legacy of Amma and AIADMK.

In fact OPS lived to the expectation of people of TN during trust vote. OPS want the motion of confidence to take place peacefully and to ensure neutrality of voting, he requested the speaker for secret voting. OPS never tried to play politics or did something to increase his popularity. He acted as a true leader of Tamil Nadu and not as cleaver politician who might wish nothing but power or money.

As a true statesman and devoted follower of Amma and AIADMK, OPS was very much sad for both the state and the party that he had nurtured as foot soldier of Amma.

Many grass root workers of AIADMK who knows nothing but to work sincerely for the party wish that people must rally behind OPS and must re-invent the true values and spirits of Amma.

The local body election in May can be a real referendum. If the party workers of AIADMK decides to support OPS to reignite AIADMK regime, many party workers still feel that they have chance to re-unite AIADMK and can create a clean and good image for the party.

People want AIADMK to follow the paths of Amma and Amma has shown OPS as its true leader and had never given the mantle of the party to those sitting in her kitchen when she was alive. If she had ever felt the other way, she would not have chosen OPS to play her role whenever she has to leave the scene abruptly due to some legal reasons.

Who knows, Tamil Nadu may go after a True Leader than Cleaver Politician in coming days.

Dr S Ranganathan