Kancheepuram: DMDK chief ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth left the question of alliance wide open declaring here at a massive party rally that his cadres wanted him to be the “king and not king-maker” while indicating he would take the final call on alliance after the interviews of candidates for tickets beginning February 22.
His wife Premalatha, who spoke earlier, lashed out at both the ruling AIADMK and the DMK, making it appear that the chances of her party aligning with the DMK are remote.
In his usual style, Mr Vijayakanth asked his party cadres turned up for the “Tamil Nadu Political Turning Point conference” in Kancheepuram whether they want him to be king or kingmaker and the cadres responded shouting “king.... king”. “ Now you say it more loudly so that media people will hear you saying that you want me to be the king,” he said amid loud cheering of over three lakh cadres turned up for the conference.
The conference was keenly watched as the DMK-Congress alliance, the BJP and the People’s Welfare Alliance comprising MDMK, VCK and the Left, had all invited the actor-politician to join their alliances. If Mr Vijayakanth goes by the cadres’ wish, he will not join DMK alliance where he would be only a kingmaker facilitating the coronation of DMK chief Karunanidhi or his son Stalin.
But then, the BJP and PWA can keep their hopes alive, going by the DMDK cadres' robust performance at the Kanchi rally and their Captain's response.
Mr Vijayakanth said that he would not once again put his party cadres under mortgage. "I know how my cadres suffered," he said without mentioning his party's alliance with the AIAIADMK in 2011 Assembly polls. "I will hear my party district secretaries and cadres' views in the interview for MLA seat aspirants that commences on February 22," he said.
DMDK also released its poll manifesto in the conference assuring pension of agricultural workers, fishermen and weavers. The manifesto also assured to fix petrol and diesel price at Rs 45 a litre and Rs 35 per litre while reducing toll price by half.
Continuing her attack on both the ruling AIADMK and DMK, Vijayakanth's wife Premalatha accused the Dravidian parties of turning the state into a "graveyard through corruption". After the DMK founder Anna brought a major change in the state politics, both the DMK and AIADMK ruled the state alternatively indulging in various corrupt activities, she said, adding misadministration of both their governments was the cause of all the problems faced by the people.
Speaker after speaker who addressed the conference wanted DMDK government headed by Vijayakanth to come to power in the ensuing state polls ending the AIADMK rule. J Constandine Ravindran, a party office bearer made a fervent request to Vijayakanth to take such a decision that either the party should lead a government or should be in a position to influence the next government.
DMDK propaganda secretary V.C. Chandrakumar read the five resolutions adopted in the conference. DMDK would strive to form a corruption-free government in the state, a resolution said adding that dislodging of the AIADMK government itself would help find a solution for all the problems.
Tamilisai, state BJP president:
“Every political leader in Tamil Nadu would like to be the king. Let’s have an open talk on this. There is no clarity about what he wanted to convey. We wanted an alliance in 2014 for an alternative political force in the state. It was successful and the NDA won two seats despite forming the alliance late. We want this alliance to continue. The question of who would be the NDA chief minister candidate here will be decided by the NDA leaders”.
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VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan:
“We have invited him (Vijayakanth) to join our PWA. We hope he will come. First let him come and we can discuss this question of who will be the chief minister later”.
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Commentator Ravindran Doraisamy:
“This could mean that his bargaining with the DMK may be still going on”.
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DMDK’s Kunrathur union secy K. Lakshmanan, at the Kanchi conference:
“We want Captain to be the king. We have conveyed our desire at this conference, but the final decision is his. We will accept whatever he decides and will carry out his directions”.
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DMDK cadre S. Punitha, Ashok Nagar, Chennai:
“We want Captain to be the King but we also realize this is not possible in the present situation. Everyone knows this. We may see him as the king five years later but for now, we will be prepared to accept any alliance that our Captain will decide”.
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