Interview with VCK leader

'Indian politics has entered a new phase'

With the parliamentary elections just two months away, political parties in Tamil Nadu have almost finalised their alliances. The ruling DMK will continue the alliance with the Congress, while the MDMK and the Left parties will sidewith the AIADMK. The only minor party that is officially with the Congress alliance is Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi which may not continue, with the Congress leader K.V. Thangkabalu expressing his reluctance to accommodate VCK.

If the Congress alliance pushes the VCK out of the alliance, will the latter have an alliance with AIADMK? And what are the major issues that will determine the elections results this time? Dennis S. Jesudasan interviews
D. Ravikumar, the sole Member of Legislative Assembly from the party who quit his job to join politics, aspiring to work for the welfare of the Dalit community in Tamil Nadu.

In the picture: D. Ravikumar, MLA, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
Photo: S V Krishnamachari

Where does your party stand today?

As of now, the situation is fluid. We are officially with the DMK and we want to continue with the alliance. Also, Congress needs the alliance to form the government in the centre. They need support not just from here, but from every state.

The DMK and the Congress are meeting today to discuss the seat sharing details. We have a meeting today too. Let us wait and see what emerges from these meetings.

In any case, how many seats do you intend to contest?

We have expressed a desire to contest from three constituencies - two reserved and one general. The general is likely to be from Kallakurichi.

Bahujan Samaj Party is another party that has a similar vote bank as yours. They are contesting in all the constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Will that affect your performance in the coming elections?

Bahujan Samaj Party has no visible presence in Tamil Nadu. Even if it contests here it will not make any impact in the state.

But one of your party members, who was an MLA, chose to switch to the BSP...

People may switch parties. In every party, people come and go. As far as we are concerned, the party is around the personality of Thol. Thirumavalavan.

How do you see the Third Front emerging?

There are bright chances for the Third Front to make it big. As things stand now, neither the Congress nor the BJP will manage to retain the seats which they won in the last elections. The Congress has lost the Left parties, while the Biju Janata Dal has quit the alliance with the BJP.

You say that the national parties are losing popularity. So, is Indian politics leading to?

Indian politics has reached a saturation point where the course of coalition politics has to take a new turn and that turn will be the future of the country. I will not be wrong in saying that Indian politics has entered a new phase.

So the Third Front will be a success this time?

We don’t know anything for sure. I can only say the Congress and the BJP will not retain their seats in Parliament.

What are the major issues that will decide the election results in Tamil Nadu?

In all the elections since Independence, only emotional issues have made impacts in the election results but not the core issues. In the case of Tamil Nadu, the DMK has used it to its advantage. Going by that logic, the sensitive Sri Lankan issue will be the deciding factor in the coming elections. So, Congress will be the biggest victim of this issue.

But the DMK runs a parallel movement like your Eelam Tamils Protection Movement?

People will question the moral responsibility of the DMK. The DMK as a party acted very well against the issue by organizing human chains and demonstrations. But as a party in the government they had the chance to act in a manner that could have changed things in the troubled Island. People are aware of it and will question it at the appropriate time.

Why is the Sri Lankan issue very important to you?

Our principles are based on Tamil nationalism and secularism. We cannot compromise our principles at any cost. Many parties in the state are politicizing the Sri Lankan issue for their election benefits. We do not want to do that because we cannot compromise on our principles.

Pudhiya Thamizhagam is a counterpart of your party in the South. How do you see it as a potential competitor for your growth in the South?

Pudhiya Thamizhagam cannot be compared to our party. We won two seats in the Assembly elections in 2006. Yes, both our parties were in the same forum (National Dalit Front) under the leadership of Ramvilas Paswan in Lok Tan Shakti. We both want to uplift the lives of the Dalits. But, since 1999, one can see Puthiya Thamizhagam losing popularity, while Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi gained support.

Can you see your party joining the AIADMK alliance?

Jayalalithaa seems to see Modi as a role model and this very much affects our attitude towards AIADMK. We do not want another Gujarat in Tamil Nadu. We are very much concerned about the future of Tamil Nadu and we want it secure.

They have informed their willingness to offer three seats to us. We have not decided on this yet.

Will Vijayakant make an influence in the elections this time?

Vijayakant and his party will not make any impact in the elections. Since the time the Sri Lankan issue emerged in the political scene, Vijayakant has been invisible. With this taking the centrestage for the coming elections, Vijayakant will be irrelevant in Tamil Nadu politics.