Scam may take sheen off Kanimozhi

CHENNAI: When she first entered politics, she was seen as the modern, progressive face of Dravidian politics — young, articulate, literate and passionate about women's rights. But three years after she took the plunge following Dayanidhi Maran's unceremonious exit from DMK in 2007, M Karunanidhi's favourite daughter Kanimozhi has been dragged into the vortex of a controversy that threatens to swamp the party and her career.

In her relatively short stint as a Rajya Sabha member, Kanimozhi (42) had grown in stature as the DMK's Delhi lobbyist, rubbing shoulders with senior ministers and political leaders. At a time when the party felt the need for a mediator in Delhi, Kanimozhi seemed to fit the bill perfectly, replacing Maran with ease despite the presence of more experienced MPs and ministers in DMK. She proved a crucial link for her father in Delhi, talking to leaders on his behalf and conveying his messages and views on confidential matters.

As one party senior put it, ''Kalaignar couldn't have found a more trusted and competent aide.'' She was also the media's darling, ready with a smart byte. She was also among the most vocal when it came to presenting her party's views in the Rajya Sabha on a range of issues, be it the nuclear liability bill or Women's Reservation Bill. She impressed politicians in the capital with her ability to speak English fluently and socialised with Congress leaders and communists. In the run-up to the government formation after the 2009 Lok Sabha election, Kanimozhi lobbied hard for a cabinet berth for A Raja and convinced her father that the sensitive telecom portfolio should go to him.

In Tamil Nadu politics, Kanimozhi has created a constituency for herself, organising job fairs in remote towns and hamlets and rolling out an annual folk art festival on Chennai's streets in an effort to revive dying arts and create an audience for them among the city's middle class.

But her closeness to the former Union minister and the growing antagonism between her and Dayanidhi Maran, which have triggered deep divisions within the family, have proved her undoing and could well hinder what seemed a promising political career. ''The 2G spectrum scam and her association with Raja have angered her own partymen,'' observed a DMK MP. There is a chorus within the party now to distance Raja.

As for family members, sources say, they have begun to pressure Karunanidhi to keep his wife Rajathi Ammal and Kanimozhi away from party affairs. ''But what could prove damaging for her career are the sensational Nira Radia conversation tapes that give an impression that she was closely negotiating with a lobbyist for political gains. This has disappointed her father more,'' said the MP.