All stories by N Sathiya Moorthy
Why there may not be a sympathy vote for DMK and AIADMK
Rediff.com9 Aug 2018The deaths of Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi within months of each other neutralises any sympathy factor their parties may hope to gain from. What's more, by removing charismatic leaders from the fray, it also levels the field for others, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Stalin's Aug 30 Oppn meet will mark his national coming-out
Rediff.com8 Aug 2018Coming as it does only months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Chennai meet could provide the launch pad for a national alternative to the BJP-NDA, and MK Stalin may be given the credit for getting it going, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Stalin's succession will be smooth, but challenges remain
Rediff.com7 Aug 2018Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin does not face any threat to his full-fledged succession as DMK chief, just now. If he were to face any threat, it would only be against 'non-performance' as the party boss, N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Dravidian braveheart rests at last...
Rediff.com7 Aug 2018In Muthuvel Karunanidhi's passing, Tamil Nadu has lost the last of its Titans.
Dhinakaran sounds LS poll bugle early, confuses rivals
Rediff.com7 Aug 2018TTV Dhinakaran's call to the Congress to break up with the DMK and tie up with him, is aimed at consolidating the traditional anti-BJP votes. The stronger message is to all anti-BJP constituencies in the state, especially the minorities and traditionally aligned sections of the Dalit community, that he could be trusted to take forward an 'anti-Hindutva' agenda more seriously than anyone else, the DMK included, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Congress's electoral future is still uncertain
Rediff.com25 Jul 2018For the first time, even days after the no-trust debate and vote, the nation is talking Rahul Gandhi, though more against than for. And that should be a first for the Congress president. But this does not mean that the Congress is going to be ahead of the BJP in election 2019 -- or, that Rahul could upset Narendra Modi in any which way. Far from it, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
In TN, BJP waits for Rajini, who is waiting for 2.0
Rediff.com12 Jul 2018The BJP may have to wait a little longer in Tamil Nadu to tie up with the superstar because, despite early and intermittent signals to the contrary, Rajinikanth has been going slow on his political project. Instead, he has been busy with two films on hand. One is acclaimed film-maker Shankar's 2.0. He has also quickly signed up for another movie produced by Sun Pictures of Kaalanidhi Maran, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Modi it is for BJP in 2019 but will state allies play along?
Rediff.com27 Jun 2018Having focussed excessively on the Congress, and continuously drawing a Modi-Rahul parallel as if it were the sole selling point, the BJP has lost sight of the regional parties that are seeking to take the centre-stage, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
'Kaala' symbolisms can become a political burden for Rajini
Rediff.com15 Jun 2018If Team Rajini expected Kaala to carry the superstar's political message off-screen, it may have proved counter-productive. If the not-so-infrequent presence of Muslim residents of Dharavi, including that of Kaala's ex-love Zarina, in many scenes is expected to convey a political message, it is a no-brainer, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The common thread running through TN protests
Rediff.com28 May 2018In the circumstances, an independent probe alone would establish the truth, starting from Koodangulam. It is more so in the case of Marina violence, which may even at this late hour hold a candle to the events and developments in Thoothukudi, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
DMK wrests Cauvery initiative
Rediff.com11 Apr 2018Today, with the 'Cauvery row' in full flow, the DMK has managed to wrest the 'pan-Tamil initiative' for the Dravidian polity as a whole. What more, the DMK has also stolen much of the 'Tamil thunder' that had belonged to peripheral pan-Tamil groups over the Jallikattu protests in January 2017, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Could Centre have avoided TN's contempt plea in Cauvery case?
Rediff.com2 Apr 2018A possible, easier and less-complicated way for the Centre would have been to approach the SC with the same queries much earlier, before a ground-swell of popular sentiments and consequent political tensions had built up in Tamil Nadu, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
When regional parties start off a no-trust move against Centre
Rediff.com16 Mar 2018It is possibly the first time that a regional party with not even enough numbers to move a no-trust motion has taken the lead, and others are following it. The hints of a no-trust move first came from the YSR Congress, and the ruling TDP could not have stayed on together when the question is another version of 'Telugu atma gouravam' - an issue that fired its founder N T Rama Rao in the 1980s, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
TTV's road to fighting polls fraught with legal issues
Rediff.com15 Mar 2018TTV Dinakaran's road to reaching the poll stage could still be strewn with legal difficulties, as much as political problems from other new players, like actors Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Why MGR may not do the trick for Rajini
Rediff.com6 Mar 2018The fact remains that in the present-day Tamil Nadu, GenX and GenY voters, born and/or growing up after the end of 'Kamaraj rule' in the '60s and 'MGR rule', respectively, constitute an absolute majority of the electorate. If they still vote for a Rajini or Kamal, in preference to the established 'Dravidian voters', it is despite the MGR imagery, not because of it, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Kamal Hassan: At the centre of it all
Rediff.com22 Feb 2018Neither emotions nor a structured approach to addressing critical issues came out in Kamal Hassan's inaugural speech on Wednesday, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Will a second 'Lotus' bloom in Dravidian Tamil Nadu?
Rediff.com19 Feb 2018Today, when one Kamalahaasan launches a new political outfit, vowing to cleanse Tamil Nadu polity and political administration of corruption, mal-governance and non-governance, he is pitted not only against Rajini with his commitment to 'spiritual politics', he is also pitted against the real 'Lotus' in Tamil Nadu politics, representing the ruling BJP at the Centre, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
'Distress-sharing' may be a workable option whenever Cauvery comes up again
Rediff.com16 Feb 2018Considering that the Supreme Court has now included two, rather three, new variable to the tribunal's findings, it could imply that whenever the current order comes in for review, the two states could raise specific issues flowing from them, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
A year in power for EPS, a year in jail for Sasikala
Rediff.com15 Feb 2018For now, Edappadi K Palaniswami is in the saddle in Tamil Nadu, and firmly so. Both inside the party and the government, he has made OPS a yes-man, as the latter used to be under Jayalalithaa, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Poll reforms should begin with the Election Commission
Rediff.com31 Jan 2018For successive governments the Election Commission remains a 'holy cow', where unhealthy precedents are allowed to be nurtured since Independence, says N Sathiya Moorthy.