CHENNAI: A day before taking over as BJP national women’s wing president, Vanathi Srinivasanspeaks to Shanmughasundaram J about the national parties ambitions in Tamil Nadu. Expressing disappointment over allotment of five seats for the BJP in the 2019 LS polls, she said her party would bargain hard during seat-sharing negotiations with ally AIADMK and get its due share this assembly election.
Q: Is the Vetrivel Yatra a boon or bane for the BJP in TN?
For the past 30 years, under the guise of rationalism and Dravidianism there is a culture in TN to hurt Hindu sentiments. Many of our party functionaries were murdered by fundamentalists. Consecutive state governments were not sensitive enough to deal with those forces. We want to expose the hypocrisy and take this message to the people of TN through the yatra. We are ready to follow the Covid-19 protocols. But the TN government and police are not cooperating. They are looking at us as a threat. We are here to complement them and not to compete with them. So, the yatra is definitely not a bane.
Q: Will the row over the yatra affect the alliance?
The leadership in Delhi takes calls regarding alliance. As of now, we have a strong and formidable alliance here. We are here as a state unit to raise issues affecting people. Though our ideologies are different, we (alliance) have come together for a common purpose to serve people. So, I don't think the alliance will be affected.
Q: What do you think about your party colleagues openly criticising AIADMK’s CM candidate EPS?
When the CM’s convoy passes, ministers and a large number of party workers gather along the route. We are asking why no action is being taken against the AIADMK, when police is arresting our party leaders and cadres citing crowding. Our colleagues are referring to the CM to highlight that police are not treating all equally.
Q: BJP leaders have taunted the AIADMK saying it had a secret pact with the DMK to stall the BJP’s growth in TN. How do you substantiate it?
Except for their leadership, there is hardly any difference between the DMK and the AIADMK. They have the same set of ideologies - regionalism, language pride and rationalism. We are a national party with a different ideology. For any regional party a new player entering and gaining political importance is a cause of irritation. I don’t want to say they worked together, but they do have a common agenda.
Q: What did you think of the ‘Namadhu Amma’ article? The provocation seems to be your threat to the government regarding the Vel yatra.
Unnecessarily denying permission or creating trouble for Vel Yatra would create a wrong impression about the government among people. Somehow it was reported as if I was threatening the government.
Q: The AIADMK was tough in seat allocation for the LS polls. How many seats is the BJP expecting for the assembly election?
The state unit will decide on seats. They have already started work for the 2021 polls and prepared a list of favourable constituencies. We were disappointed in the number of seats allotted to us in the 2019 polls. This time we will negotiate hard and get our due share.
Q: Will the recent spat affect seat sharing?
I don’t think so. Political parties working on their respective agenda is separate from their electoral alliances.
Q: Has the BJP changed its narrative from being an alternative to Dravidian parties? How does the AIADMK come into these grand plans?
Every political party has an agenda to form their own government. It is the ultimate goal. We are working hard for it and the next 10 years are critical for us to achieve our goal and emerge as a single largest party in the state. In between, we need political victories. For that, we are forming an alliance. Now, we are in the transition period. From a cadre-based party we are evolving into a mass leader-based party in Tamil Nadu, as many celebrities and prominent persons from various walks of life are joining the party.
Q: Do you think Rajinikanth will enter politics? If he does, what is the BJP’s strategy?
Like other people, we are also waiting for Rajinikath’s entry. Let him start the party, then we will talk about it.
Q: Has the BJP reached out to M K Alagiri, or vice versa? How would he help your party? Are there any more surprises in store?
I am not aware of M K Alagiri joining the BJP. But we have a lot of people who we will bring on onboard. In the coming days, we will have a lot of surprises. Many prominent politicians from regional parties are approaching us. We also inducted persons with criminal cases. There is nothing wrong in it as they were punished for their crimes. But we never compromise on party discipline.