Though politics is dominated by men across the world, India’s scenario is a bit different.
While Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi called the shots at national level, Jayalalithaa was indomitable in Tamilnadu political arena till December 2016, when she breathed the last.
With TN lacking a charismatic woman leader after her death, the DMDK is apparently attempting to grab the opportunity by promoting Premalatha, wife of its chief Vijayakanth.
Though she was said to be running the show from behind so far, Premalatha was recently officially appointed as the treasurer of the party.
With Vijayakanth’s health leaving a leadership gap in the DMDK, the arrival of Premalatha, a well-known face among the State’s women folk, is expected to rejuvenate the party apparatus besides helping the DMDK win women votes in the upcoming elections.
But everything is based on how she grooms herself and emerges as a strong and true leader of the masses.
Known for establishing connect with the audience through her oratorical skills, Premalatha should now display her leadership skills as well.
Also, DMDK is known for making wrong alliance decisions. In 2016, when things were rosy for Vijayakanth to even share the power and become Deputy Chief Minister by forging an alliance with the DMK, the move to lead an alliance that had MDMK, VCK, CPI and CPI(M) costed him and his party heavily and Vijayakanth, who was the Leader of Opposition then, could not even become an MLA.
With elections fast approaching, the future of DMDK depends on how Premalatha makes right choices.