Chennai: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a constituent of People’s Welfare Alliance, on Wednesday announced that educationist and activist Vasanthi Devi will be its candidate in R.K. Nagar constituency against Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Party founder Thol. Thirumavalavan will contest from Kattumannarkoil in Cuddalore district. Addressing a press conference here, Thirumavalavan said that the former Vice-Chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University was the common candidate of People’s Welfare Alliance whose other constituents are MDMK, CPI (M), CPI, DMDK and the Tamil Maanila Congress.
“She is a well-known educationist who has fought for women’s issues and marginalised sections. Highly respected, she has been working in various fora for people’s issues,” he said. Thirumavalavan, who was speculated to fight from the city-based constituency after it was allocated to his party, said “Our intention is not to defeat anyone, but take the politics of change to people.” Devi will contest on VCK ‘Ring’ symbol.
Vasanthi Devi said she wants to change political culture that was steeped in corruption and neglecting basic needs of the people. “I don’t see it as a contest against somebody. It is a contest to effect certain policy change and change of political culture,” she said when her reaction was sought on contesting against the Chief Minister.
She told DC she finds a concurrence with the ideology and belief of PWA. “The common minimum programme released by PWA reflects my view point. It is not a mere critique of policies of certain government but it focuses on impact of neo- liberal policies that led to jobless growth and creation of wide spread inequality.”
Making a comeback in Assembly elections after 15 years, Thirumavalavan said he would contest from Kattumannarkoil as it had been a favourable constituency with him polling more votes even when he lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He had contested from Chidambaram then under which Kattumannarkoil fell. He had earlier won from the same parliamentary constituency in 2009.
R K Nagar was allotted to the party only because he wanted eight general seats of the 25 seats allotted to VCK, he said. Both DMK and VCK have fielded women candidates to take on Jayalalithaa in R K Nagar constituency. DMK has nominated political greenhorn Shimla Muthuchozhan even as BJP has fielded M.N, Raja, son-in-law of a former AIADMK minister for the Assembly segment.
