The arrival of DMDK to the AMMK has strengthened our alliance and we are providing an alternative to people, who want to vote against the BJP led centre and the AIADMK government says Social Democratic Party of India vice prez Tehlan Baqavi in an interview with DT Next.
Tehlan Baqavi
Chennai:
Q – The Congress and the other Opposition parties term the pro-Muslim outfits as BJP B-team splitting the opposition votes. What is your view?
During the last elections, the DMK leader MK Stalin termed the Makkal Nala Koottani leaders Vaiko, Thol Thirumavalavan and the Left party leaders as the B-team of AIADMK. But today, that entire team is with the Opposition party. The public will not believe the B team campaign of DMK, which is not fighting hard against the BJP. In the past, the DMK had allied with the BJP and there is every possibility for the DMK to go amicable with the national party later. But our alliance is destined to fight the anti-public BJP.
Q – Why did the Muslim outfits and your party not ally with the ruling AIADMK?
The AIADMK has lost the support of Muslim outfits and the public, who believe in democratic values. Issues like the Food Security Act, farm laws, NEET, CAA, GST, demonetisation have affected the public, but the AIADMK did not oppose the Centre, which imposed these anti-people measures. The ruling party, however, had opposed such moves when Jayalalithaa was alive.
Q – Two Muslim outfits – Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi — support the DMK and seek the votes of minorities?
A- The minorities would vote for AIMIM, AMMK and SDPI as the DMK cannot be trusted.
Q – AMMK – DMDK – SDPI alliance has formalised close to the polls. Does your alliance have adequate time to campaign?
A – The election fever is just catching up and we will be able to take forward our campaign successfully and all the parties have the same amount of time to campaign. So it’s not an issue.
Q – Why should the people vote for your alliance?
A – We don’t have any anti-incumbency and our candidates if elected will not migrate to BJP, which the other parties cannot assure.
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