Though the initial momentum in the seat-sharing talks of the DMK-Congress combine has slowed, CPI(M) state secretary K. Balakrishnan has said the arrangements would be finalised in a couple of days since the DMK leadership has been amenable during talks. Dismissing the contention that the PMK could tilt the scales in favour of the AIADMK-BJP alliance, he argues that no community would throw its full weight behind a particular party, even if the outfit was formed to represent it. Excerpts from an interview:
It appears that the DMK’s seat-sharing negotiations with allies other than the Congress and the IUML have not progressed beyond the initial talks….
We have had the first round of talks and will be in a position to finalise seats in the next round. The DMK wanted to hold talks with all its [potential] partners before signing the agreement. We do not have any problems since the DMK leaders were amenable and forthcoming during the talks. Of course, there is an expectation that the talks should be completed as early as possible so that we can prepare ourselves for the election. In a day or two, we will complete the process.
The AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance looks like a mega alliance when compared to your front. What’s your take on this?
They will make such claims. But you must realise that the AIADMK is not as strong as it was under [former CM] Jayalalithaa’s leadership. It has lost the people’s trust. If the alliance is as strong as is claimed by the ruling party, why did it [AIADMK government] fail to conduct elections to the local bodies and the bypolls to the 21 [vacant] Assembly constituencies? They are afraid of facing the people. The image of the AIADMK took a beating in the wake of internal squabbling — first, the tussle between Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, and later, the expulsion of T.T.V. Dhinakaran and the launch of a new party under his leadership. He will certainly make a dent in the vote bank of the AIADMK. The ruling party’s ally, the BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have earned a reputation as “anti-Tamils”. In 2014, there was a wave in favour of Mr. Modi because of the people’s antipathy towards the two tenures of the Congress-led UPA government. But the situation has changed now. Since 1947, no political party or Prime Minister has felt the heat of the people’s anger as much as the BJP and Mr. Modi [are now facing] in T.N.
Would the PMK’s entry give a boost to the AIADMK alliance?
You should keep in mind that not all Vanniyars are with the PMK. They also support other parties. A positive aspect of Tamil Nadu politics is that no community fully supports a single party even if it was launched to represent the community. I think not even 50% of a community will support a particular party. The PMK has won elections in the past only when it was part of an alliance. It couldn’t win when it contested alone. When Panruti S. Ramachandran was elected, it wasn’t just the PMK’s goodwill among the people that led to the victory. His charisma also played an important role.
How do you see the prospects of your alliance?
We have not formed the alliance just for the sake of polls. Parties that are now part of the DMK-Congress alliance have been working together and fighting for causes that directly affect the people of the State. Whether it was NEET or the hydrocarbon project, we waged the struggle for the people. The DMK has a solid vote bank and created a record of sorts in the last election and entered the Assembly as the main opposition party with the highest number of seats. Now, political parties that were part of the People’s Welfare Front have joined the DMK alliance, bringing their vote share with them.