Dashing the hopes of the DMK and the BJP, which had left no stone unturned in their quest to rope in the DMDK into their alliances, the Vijayakanth-led party on Wednesday announced its alliance with t
Dashing the hopes of the DMK and the BJP, which had left no stone unturned in their quest to rope in the DMDK into their alliances, the Vijayakanth-led party on Wednesday announced its alliance with the People’s Welfare Alliance for the May 16 Assembly polls. The announcement not only puts an end to all speculation over Vijayakanth’s choice of alliance, but also pitchforks him as the front’s chief ministerial candidate.
The DMDK will contest in 124 Assembly constituencies, leaving the PWA the other 110 seats, according to a joint statement issued by the DMDK and the PWA, which comprises the MDMK, CPI(M), CPI and the VCK. The announcement of an alliance, which will effectively make for a third front in TN politics, was made after MDMK general secretary Vaiko, CPI(M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan, CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan and VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan called on Mr Vijayakanth at the DMDK headquarters in Koyambedu on Wednesday.
Mr Vaiko would be the coordinator of the DMDK-PWA front.
The new front puts an end to the ambitions of the DMK and the BJP to win over Mr Vijayakanth’s vote share into their alliance. With a 5 to 8 per cent vote share, Mr Vijayakanth’s party is expected to play a crucial role in multi-cornered contests, especially in seats where the margin has been known to be watertight in the past.
“Today four party leaders met me and said they wanted to be kingmaker and have asked me to be the king. When Mr Vaiko asked whether they shall declare that we will form a coalition government if voted to power, I have immediately given my consent to it,” Mr Vijayakanth told his supporters in the party office.
Refuting allegations that he indulged in any bargaining with parties to join their alliances, he said he had always maintained that his alliance was with god and the people.
“(PWA) leaders here may be or may not believe in God but they like people very much. Anyway I am a believer. Without going to any other party, I have gone to the people’s party — PWA,” he said.
Mr Vaiko heaped praise on Mr Vijayakanth, saying their combine would henceforth be named “Captain Vijayakanth Front”. “You (Vijayakanth) will be the king, kingmakers (PWF leaders) will make you the king,” he said.
Likening Vijayakant to Yudhistra of ‘Mahabharata’, he said, “Bheema, Arjuna, Nakul and Sahadeva (reference to four PWF leaders) will not allow others to get near him and they would take on rivals first.” MDMK leader said he would be the “Senapathi (Commander) of the PWF-DMDK forces” that would take on AIADMK and DMK. “This is the alliance expected by the people, this is a great front that would usher in change and be victorious,” he said. “In this election, there is a direct contest between AIADMK and our front. Our aim is to dislodge AIADMK from power. The 1967 election brought an end to 15 years of Congress rule and set foundation of Dravidian parties rule for the 50 years. We are going to witness epoch making election on May 16 after which Vijayakanth will become the chief minister,” Thirumavalavan said. CPI (M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan said March 23 has become an important day in Tamil Nadu political history. “This alliance has been formed on the death anniversary of Bhagat Singh and it will win the election and Vijayakanth will become the chief minister,” he said. Terming the 2016 state assembly elections as political war, CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan equated the four party PWA and DMDK alliance to Pancha Pandavargal and said that in this political war, this alliance would certainly emerge victorious.
