Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

His way of expressing loyalty

S. Vydhianathan

EXPRESSING LOYALTY: Tamil Nadu Youth Congress workers getting their hands tattooed with Rahul Gandhi's name on Thursday. — Photo: K.Pichumani

CHENNAI: Strange are the ways chosen by party cadres to express loyalty and commitment to their leaders.

In Tamil Nadu, it is not uncommon for party workers to undergo different types of penance not only to be in the good books of their leaders but also draw their attention. Eating "man soru," carrying fire pots and sporting attire made out of neem leaves are "unconventional methods" witnessed during birthday celebrations of party supremos.

Tamil Nadu Youth Congress president M.K. Vishnuprasad has gone further. He, along with hundreds of Youth Congress workers, tattooed their forearms with Rahul Gandhi's name at Congress headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan here on Thursday.

He was following in the footsteps of the late M.G. Ramachandran who, in the late 1970s, directed AIADMK cadres to tattoo their forearms with the party flag and symbol. He himself took the lead and sported the flag and the symbol in his forearm.

Even as leaders of other Dravidian parties termed it "barbaric", thousands of AIADMK workers obeyed MGR's command. Tattoos of the AIADMK flag can still be seen in the hands of some leaders who switched their loyalty to other parties after MGR's demise.

Recently, North Chennai District Congress Committee president Royapuram R. Mano, along with his supporters, got the name of State Congress chief G.K.Vasan tattooed. The action was criticised by Mr. Vasan.

Dr. Vishnuprasad described the campaign as part of "party-building activity." Mr. Rahul Gandhi was the "supreme" leader of the party who would decide the destiny of the nation. The present campaign was to show their commitment and loyalty to him. He had sent circulars to all district Youth Congress presidents to launch similar campaigns .

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