TIRUCHY: A meeting among leaders of the DMK-led alliance here on Sunday was witness to tense moments when MDMK principal secretary and Tiruchy parliamentary constituency candidate Durai Vaiko expressed reservations against contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election in the DMK’s ‘rising sun’ symbol.
At the meeting which also saw in attendance Ministers KN Nehru, Mahesh Poyyamozhi and S Regupathy, Tiruchy DMK central district secretary Vairamani urged the MDMK candidate to contest in the ‘rising sun’ symbol. “If the candidate chooses to do so, we will surely cross six lakh votes and win the constituency.”
Echoing Vairamani, Minister Poyyamozhi said, “Our leader has said Vaiko is like a sword for our Dravidian movement. Now we are going to use his son to win this battle against the BJP. The sword must be sharp; only then can we defeat our opponents.”
Durai Vaiko, however, burst out in tears when he began to address the gathering and urged them not to hurt MDMK members anymore. My father has spent his life building the MDMK and several party members along with him have chosen me to save it, despite my unwillingness, he said.
When someone then shouted, “Symbol! Symbol!”, Durai Vaiko retorted, “Even if it costs my life I will only contest from my party’s symbol. I’m a person with self-respect. If you want, stand on the ‘rising sun’ symbol yourself.”
To this, Congress Tiruchy urban district secretary LV Rex said, “Sensitive topics like these should be discussed behind closed doors. I respect Durai Vaiko’s outburst. The MDMK still has a dedicated cadre and it might have hurt them ton to contest in another party’s symbol. I’m sure this will be sorted out soon.”