BJP's dilemma in Tamil Nadu: Political ploy or 'clerical error'

Early this month, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came up with the list of new ministers, it raised many eyebrows down south and triggered a fresh controversy in Tamil Nadu. The profile of L Murugan, the only minister who was not a member of Parliament, showed that he hailed from “Kongu Nadu”, a commonly used name for parts of western Tamil Nadu.

While this sparked a social-media controversy, this was followed by an article in a local newspaper quoting unconfirmed sources with a flashy headline that claimed that “Tamil Nadu to be divided, Kongu Nadu to be created”. Adding oil to the fire, Coimbatore South MLA and BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan shared the article on social media. 

Later, a local unit of the BJP’s Coimbatore North district passed a resolution asking the Centre to re-organise Tamil Nadu to protect the region’s pride. Soon after that, Tamil Nadu saw a political outburst with almost all political parties coming out in public against the move, with dissenting voices coming even from the BJP.

There was never a demand for separate statehood in independent India in the name of Kongu Nadu. References about the region date back to Sangam literature (the earliest known literature of South India, dating back to the period between 300 BC and AD 300). In present-day Tamil Nadu, the region covers areas like Palani, Karur, Dharapuram, Thiruchengodu, Erode, Pollachi, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri, the Niligiris, Avinashi, Satyamangalam, Coimbatore, and Udumalaipet districts of Tamil Nadu, which form the state’s western part. Parts of Karnataka’s southeast and Kerala’s east are traditionally considered to be in Kongu Nadu.

There are two versions to the origin of the name. One states that Kongu comes from the influential Kongu Vellala Gounders, an OBC (Other Backward Class) concentrated in the region. 

Another says it originated in the word Kongu, meaning honey. In 2009, a political party named the KonguNadu Munnetra Kazhagam (KNMK) was formed to raise the voice of the region.

In the recently concluded Tamil Nadu elections, the western region, except Karur district, did the rescue act for the AIADMK and the BJP, saving its face. The region accounted for 36 MLAs of the 66 seats the alliance won this time. Many in state politics say this was mainly owing to the influence of previous chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy in the region and the development work he did.

Politicians like E R Eswaran of the Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi, part of the DMK alliance, too had batted for Kongu Nadu before, according to BJP sources. When asked about this, Srinivasan told Business Standard: “We are watching the developments. In no way are we claiming that a separate region has to be carved out. The region is facing a negligent attitude from the present state government. Our aim is to work for the overall development of the infrastructure in the region. Now, development is happening only in pockets like Coimbatore. I still think the region requires more developmental activities.”

The western part, including Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, and Dindigul, has the majority of the spinning mills, manufacturing cotton, polyester, blended yarn, open end yarn and silk yarn used by garment units in various parts of the country.

Some see the controversy as the BJP’s response to the DMK’s stand on “Ondriya Arasu”. The state had decided that in all the documents and circulars, the Narendra Modi government must be referred to as “Ondriya Arasu”, or Union government. The BJP was of the view that the ideal term to be used is “Madhiya Arasu”, which means the Central government.

Though dissenting voices first came out in social media, the DMK and the Congress were immediately in action against the idea of bifurcation. Copies of the local newspaper that published the article (“Tamil Nadu to be divided”) were burnt in Coimbatore. Protest rallies were organised across the state by almost all the parties.

“Tamil Nadu can’t be divided by anyone, no one can even dream of such a thing,” said DMK leader Kanimozhi. The CPI(M) too alleged the BJP created the controversy.

Then the BJP backtracked. After taking charge, the BJP’s new state chief, K Annamalai, said Kongu Nadu was not the party’s demand and the name featured in Murugan’s profile was a “clerical mistake”. He added that it was just a social identification of Murugan.