For the elections, political parties have firmed up grand alliances in Tamil Nadu. Their stand on many contentious issues and their election manifestos, however, show that they are alliances of convenience and contradictions.
The contradictions are over issues such as CAA-NRC, release of Rajiv assassins and the proposed international transhipment port at Enayam in Kanyakumari district. Tamil Nadu parties are yet to get introduced to the culture of common minimum programme (CMP) for forming alliances and the government. Even when the DMK chief M Karunanidhi administered a minority government from 1996 to 2001, there was no CMP to guide the course.
Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, campaigning in Nagercoil last week, alleged that the DMK-Congress front had indulged in false propaganda on the transhipment terminal in Kanyakumari district with an intention to garner votes of fisherfolk by creating panic among them. “Let me tell you again and again, the terminal will not be set up in Kanyakumari (district),” the CM said, while seeking votes for BJP nominee for Kanyakumari LS seat, Pon Radhakrishnan. Incidentally, the former minister had pushed for the project during his stint in shipping ministry in Narendra Modi’s first cabinet, but has second thoughts about the project after his defeat in the 2019 election.
The PMK promises amendment to laws to reserve 100% government jobs to Tamils and 80% jobs in private sector to Tamils, while the AIADMK seeks to give priority to local people in private sector. The BJP, a key ally, vows to provide housing to migrant workers in the state and ESI hospitals with all amenities for the benefit of migrant workers in industrial cities.
AIADMK minister D Jayakumar said though policies were different, alliances were stitched to pre-empt the DMK, “a party known to unleash anarchy”, from coming to power. “Having said that, we stay firm on our policies,” he said. The senior partner, recently, embarrassed the BJP by promising in its election manifesto that it would urge the Centre to withdraw the CAA. The AIADMK and the PMK had facilitated safe passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Parliament. PMK leader S Ramadoss now opposes NRC “to allay the fears of minorities”.
If the DMK and the MDMK are hellbent on releasing the seven Rajiv Gandhi assassins, its ally Congress is opposed to raking up the Tamil identity in the issue and wants to leave the issue to the courts to decide. TNCC chief K S Alagiri said every ally had differences on various issues but they had joined hands with the common goal of fighting the BJP and the RSS. DMK treasurer T R Baalu said the Congress had not objected to the release of the convicts so far. “When we form the government, we will release them,” said Baalu.