DMDK leader LK Sudhish, also the brother-in-law of DMDK president Vijayakanth, received flak for posting a cartoon from 2016 on his Facebook page. The cartoon portrayed many political leaders including late DMK patriarch Kalaignar Karunandhi falling at the feet of actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth. Though LK Sudhish immediately removed the post and provided an explanation, he received criticism from the DMK and also from a section of the DMDK.
On Wednesday, LK Sudhish posted a cartoon published in 2016 by DinaMalar, a Tamil newspaper, on his Facebook timeline without a caption. The cartoon showed DMDK leader Vijayakant circled by all leaders of other parties. The cartoon included a leader in a black shirt (symbolising a Dravida Kazhagam leader or Seeman) and another leader in a white shirt wearing a yellow towel (symbolising former Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi). A poised Vijayakant stands in the middle with his hands tied and is portrayed as being in deep thought.
Following criticism, Sudhish removed the post and gave an explanation in his defence. In the post, Sudhish said, ”I only posted the cartoon published by DinaMalar newspaper in 2016. I posted the cartoon in social media so that the people of Tamil Nadu can understand the difference of approach in the cartoon published by them back then and the cartoon posted by them now."
"Since it was wrongly understood I immediately removed the post," he said.
What Sudhish was referring to is a cartoon published by DinaMalar newspaper on Wednesday portraying Vijayakanth as sitting on top of a drum, symbol of DMDK, with DMDK leader and wife of Vijayakanth Premalatha ringing the bell used during auctions. Though two chairs marked with symbols of DMK and AIADMK are seen in front, they are both empty. The caption on the cartoon says, “There is a chance of DMDK competing alone- Premalatha informs” and Premalatha also says “The auctioning process for the 2021 election begins”.
The cartoon was taking potshots at Premalatha and the DMDK for claiming before every election that they would go alone and then invariably joining some alliance or the other.
In 2016, the situation was a bit different with the AIADMK and DMK pursuing the DMDK that held talks with both Dravidian parties, but eventually supported the People's Welfare Alliance with MDMK, VCK and Left parties.
The post however got many comments from people who were clearly unhappy with the cartoon and the timing of the post.
A facebook user, Guru said, "You could have mentioned that the cartoon was published in DinaMalar in 2016!! Yes, it is true that these things happened but depicting leaders falling on someone's feet was a distasteful imagination by the newspaper that cannot be argued as a right one."
Ragupathy Ravi said, "In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, who held whose legs? Do not unnecessarily anger party members, Sudhish."