Little chance for BJP to expand base in TN: Hugo Gorringe

Hugo Gorringe is a sociology lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. His new book, Panthers in Parliament: Dalits, Caste and Politics in South India, is published by OUP. In this interview to Aditi Phadnis, he explores the political map of Tamil Nadu after J Jayalalithaa.
 
J Jayalalithaa’s death has left an almost monarchical void in Tamil Nadu. How do you see politics developing in a state where chief ministers have virtually functioned as kings?
 
Research on Tamil politics points towards the persistence of organisational aspects of monarchical culture, seen in patronage relations that render people dependent on welfare