After waiting for the reins to be handed to him by his M.K. Karunanidhi, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin has now consolidated control over the party and is leading the campaign for the Lok Sabha poll. Mr Stalin spoke to DC about the challenges and his solutions.
Your leader (Karunanidhi) is not undertaking a full-fledged campaign. How are you handling this big responsibility of being DMK’s star campaigner?
Kalaignar remains our star campaigner, following the ways of Periyar and Anna for the last 75 years. Every party cadre is Kalaignar’s star campaigner. I am one of them.
This is the first election you face without a national party as ally. How do you feel about that?
In Tamil Nadu, the real battle (of ballots) is between the DMK and the AIADMK. This is history and it will continue. Others are not relevant.
Your alliance comprises only two Dalit and Muslim parties. Isn’t it weak?
AIADMK dumped five allies to stand isolated whereas DMK has formed a strong and secular alliance, which is the strongest team in terms of vote bank.
Why did you keep the national parties off your alliance?
We quit the UPA for its failure to save Eelam Tamils. Even now, the Congress-led Centre has abstained from the US sponsored UNHRC resolution against Colombo. The BJP is silent on this. Also, BJP competed with the AIADMK to stall the Sethusamudram project, which is a major development project for Tamil Nadu.
