Mixed response from Tamil civil society to DMDK-PWA tie-up

Chennai: People’s Welfare Alliance decision to align with DMDK and to project Vijayakanth as chief ministerial candidate has evoked mixed response from cross section of Tamil civic society who have been staunch supporters of the four party alliances from the very beginning.

Political commentator and writer Gnani and poet and film maker Leena Manimakali have criticised the PWA’s tie up with Vijayakanth’s party in social media while political analyst Badri Seshadri and writer A. Marx have defended the new alliance.

Mr Gnani wrote in his Facebook page that PWA which should have emerged as an alternative in state politics has committed a political suicide by naming Vijayakanth as its chief ministerial candidate.

“They remained firm in their decision to not to name a chief ministerial candidate before elections. But naming of Vijayakanth as CM candidate has only made the four parties appear like weaker and lacks ideological commitment,” he said.

Mr Gnani said that Vijayakanth was more in the mould of DMK and AIADMK believing in personality cult and with no political agenda. “And how can these people go with him and say they want to bring in a different political culture?”  he told DC. However, he said that there was nothing wrong in Vijayakanth joining the alliance if he had agreed to PWA’s CMP and not to name CM candidate before the polls.

Poet Leena Manimekalai also criticised PWA’s alliance with DMDK. “Comrades, why do you need (the facade) of ideology and a history of sacrifice to make Vijayakanth as CM?” she asked.

Political observer Badri Seshadri, in his Facebook post, said many people including Mr Gnani have expressed their displeasure over the DMDK-PWA alliance. Stating that he too did not have big opinion about Vijayakanth, he, however, said that leaders of PWA have understood the gross reality very well and tied up with DMDK.

“If the four parties alone contested the polls, they will not be able to get the expected results. At least, this is not possible in 2016 elections. Hence, to form a strong alliance one need to tie up with Vijayakanth’s party,” he said, adding that it was mere impossible to name someone as chief ministerial candidate after convincing Vijayakanth to join the new front.

“If they go alone without Vijayakanth, they will not be able to implement common minimum programme. Hence they have made a compromise. However, the respect for the four leaders among public have increased after they formed a strong alternative alliance without any ego,” he said.

Stating that it would be very difficult for the alliance to come to power, he said that the new front would be in a position to determine who would come to power.

Responding to the detractors of PWA-DMDK alliance, writer A. Marx wondered how many of those who are opposing Communist parties alliance with DMDK supported Left when it contested Srirangam assembly bypoll.

“At least how many of them extended their support and posted in their facebook page then,” he asked. Stating that it was true that Vijayakanth does not have firm ideology, he wondered which are other parties that are firm in their ideology.

Vaiko: why did BJP wait for Vijayakanth if he is zero
MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Thursday reacted strongly to BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundarara-jan’s remark terming the DMDK-PWA alliance zero by saying BJP would not be able to win a single seat in the ensuing Assembly polls in the state.

“Why did BJP leaders waited in DMDK chief Vijayakanth’s office knowing very well he is a zero?” he asked.

He told re-porters that BJP would not be able to win even a single seat in the state polls.  Reacting to PWA’s alliance with DMDK, the BJP leader told reporters that if you add zero plus zero, it will be only zero. BJP had made all possible efforts to rope in DMDK which contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls as part of NDA.