In his interview with TNIE’s Prabhakar Tamilarasu, NTK chief coordinator Seeman talks about his party’s decision to never be part of any alliance and his steadfast opposition to Periyar EV Ramasamy. In a strong indication that it was the BJP, he acknowledges that a non-Dravidian party offered him deputy chief minister post if he joined its alliance.
You have been contesting elections without an alliance since 2016. Aren’t you tired?
When you plant a sapling, you can’t expect it to yield fruit the moment you get home. You must give time as the price for anything. When we talk about being an alternative, the question is: an alternative to what? Which party’s rule, and which ideology are we replacing?
An alternative shouldn’t just be a word; it must be an action. We want to create a good government because we dislike the current ones. If we go back to them, it’s not an alternative. It’s a massive disappointment.
In the last Parliament election, you secured 8% votes overall and became a recognised party. Do you have a target for 2026?
We have lost in all the elections we fought, except getting six councillors elected to local bodies. We are moving forward with the same energy. Our goal is victory. I am very confident because even without being the prime ministerial candidate, 36 lakh people voted for me (in 2024).
In 2026, when people look for who should rule Tamil Nadu, they won’t be able to overlook me. I stand for their rights and feelings.
I tell the people: if I come to power, I will provide high-quality education and healthcare. What the first citizen of this country receives, the last person of society will also receive. I will ensure water is available to all living beings.
How do you differentiate yourself from other new entrants? Why don’t you join hands with your thambi (brother) Vijay?
He is the newcomer and he should take a call whether to join me or not. Furthermore, my ideology is very different. He still holds on to Dravidian ideology and the same old leaders. He has taken Periyar (EV Ramasamy) as a party ideologue. But, we look at him as an enemy of our race.
Tamil is god’s language. But, Periyar calls it a “shani”, and advocates its abolishment. Tamil has the greatest literature. Only the Tamils in India, the Greeks and the Chinese have the privilege of reading such profound literature in their mother tongue. If someone brings back the same Dravidian politics that belittles our identity, we won’t have anything to do with them. We are already far ahead (ideologically).
You talk about great Tamil poets. Poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar says “Pirappokkum ella Uyirkkum” (all are equal at birth). Is NTK not rejecting Periyar mainly because he happened to be born in a Telugu-speaking community?
Jesus said not to surrender your authority to those not of your kin. My own heritage tells me that a man should rule his own home and country. I have thousands of leaders and “Periyars” within my own ethnicity. Why should I look outside for a leader when I have them in my own blood? I accept Marx, the Buddha, Phule or Periyar as thinkers, but for my leaders, I look up to Singaravelar, Jeevanantham, or Nallakannu. A father must be the one who sired you; a leader must be of your blood.
You are the first political party to give more seats to the Brahmin community. What is the rationale?
You cannot disregard a great soul like Ramanujar. He chanted the Thirumuraigal and broke the barriers preventing oppressed people from entering temples. Similarly, I cannot reject Vaidyanatha Iyer, who fought for temple entry or Surya Narayana Sastri, who changed his name to pure Tamil “Parithimar Kalaigñar”.
His student was my “grandfather” (Maraimalai Adigal), the father of the Pure Tamil Movement. I cannot disregard U Ve Swaminatha Iyer. This is the rationale for intending to give seven seats to people from the Brahmin community. However, I was able to give only six.
You were mentioning a list of great Tamil epics. In your long list, is Kambaramayanam there, do you accept Lord Ram?
There is no doubt that Kambaramayanam is a great epic. In that, whether you look at Ram as a hero or a god is different. I worship Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva. I do not ask you to worship them. Worship, language, art, literature, dress, food are all their individual rights.
There were speculations that you were offered the deputy chief minister post by a political party to join their alliance?
It is true. You know that I would not join any of the two Dravidian parties. If it is not these two, then you know which party offered it. I did not join because of ideological differences. I cannot compromise.