CHENNAI: The growing popularity of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s BSP in Tamil Nadu is apparently being seen as a threat to its base by the local Dalit party, the Viduthalai Chiruthigal Katchi (VCK), whose workers beat up the BSP’s south Chennai district secretary Athavan at Koyambedu on Monday night, besides attacking a sub-inspector.
As part of the preparations for Mayawati’s visit to the city on December 22, Athavan’s men were painting graffiti of their leader on a wall on Jawaharlal Nehru 100 feet road when 10 VCK cadre questioned them as to how they dare to enter their area.
Sensing trouble, Athavan tried to get away from the scene in his Scorpio SUV when the VCK men attacked him with deadly weapons.
Athavan received injuries in the shoulder, stomach and legs. Fortunately, the driver sped away from the spot along with Athavan.
Sensing victory, VCK cadre created a flutter in the area. When Koyambedu police sub-inspector Prabhu, who was on night patrol, tried to arrest the troublemakers, they assaulted ham as well.
Police later arrested five VCK partymen - Viduthalai, area secretary of T Nagar, Kalaivanthan, deputy secretary of Central Chennai and Ambedkarvanan, Elakadai Selvaraj, and Mixer Selvaraj. They were booked under Section 107 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and remanded in judicial custody. The police are searching for four more VCK activists.
Athavan and Prabhu have been admitted to a private hospital.
Though the VCK and the Pudhiya Tamizhagam, led by Dr Krishnasamy, are the two dominant Dalit political parties in Tamil Nadu, the BSP of late has captured the imagination of many in the State. Not only former IAS officer P Sivakami joined the party after leaving government service, the VCK itself lost its prominent leader Selva Perudhagai to the BSP recently.
Selva Perudhagai, the present State secretary of the BSP, was the former deputy secretary of the VCK. He was elected as MLA from the Mangaloor constituency in Cuddalore district in the 2006 Assembly elections. However, he resigned his MLA post to join the BSP.
Apart from that, AIADMK MLA S Ve Shekher is waiting for Mayawati’s visit to the city. Despite being a Brahmin, Shekher has decided to throw his weight behind Mayawati and strengthen the BSP in the State.
He expects to form a Dalit-Brahmin alliance to fight the elections.
Even earlier, Puthiya Tamizhagam leader Krishnasamy tried to merge his party with the BSP, though it did not materialise.