Rs 100 for a selfie with Vaiko! What has happened to the 'lion of Parliament'?

Sedition case: Vaiko files plea in Madras HC to quash lower court order Vaiko was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on July 11 | File

When Vaiko walked into the Rajya Sabha in July on a DMK ticket, the cadre of his MDMK and DMK were excited as they would have a vociferous leader to take on the BJP in the Parliament. Quite expectedly, on his very first day in Rajya Sabha, he targeted the BJP for implementing hydrocarbon extraction in the farm lands of Tamil Nadu. He took no time to oppose Centre’s stand to set up more nuclear plants and convert Kudankulam into a nuclear park.

However, the joy of those who celebrated the victory of their leader, once hailed to be 'the lion of Parliament', did not last long. On Wednesday, as the entire state was waiting for the Vellore election results, a surprising statement was sent out to the MDMK cadre, indicating that the party is in a serious financial crunch. “For the attention of all party functionary friends, those who wish to take a photo with the party’s general secretary will have to donate a minimum of Rs 100 before doing so,” said the statement. It also added that instead of presenting shawls and books to the party, functionaries can donate money if they wish for the welfare and growth of the party. The statement also urged the supporters who are not lifetime members of the party to sign up for membership with before August 31.

It may be recalled that this is not the first time Vaiko’s MDMK made such a clarion call to add some money to its empty coffers. In the early 2000s, a similar request was made by the party, but was not followed up.

The announcement has not gone well with the cadre as it comes at a time when the party found a place in Parliament after a decade. Launched as a breakaway faction of the DMK in 1994, the MDMK was seen as a strong cadre-based party under Vaiko.

Vaiko, was a lieutenant of Karunanidhi till 1994 when broke away from the DMK after differences between the two widened. Vaiko had called Karunanidhi a betrayer while the DMK accused the former of several charges.

During the Lok Sabha polls, MDMK aligned with the DMK-Congress combine. Despite his alliance with the Congress he lashed out at the party while speaking in the floor of the Rajya Sabha on the Kashmir issue. He said “I respect Jawaharlal Nehru. But the promise of plebiscite was not kept.” A day later, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee expressed its displeasure over Vaiko saying he had overruled the alliance dharma. In a strong statement, TNCC president K.S. Alagiri said Vaiko spoke only with the consent of Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him not to shake the alliance.

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