CHENNAI: Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam commenced interviews for aspiring ticket seekers on Monday with the party chief Vijayakant using the opportunity to read their pulse on whether to form an alliance or go it alone in the upcoming assembly elections.
The actor turned politician had one to one interaction with hundreds of party aspirants, who have filed applications seeking to contest from constituencies in Tiruvallur, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Nilgiris.
Emerging out of the interview from the party headquarters in Koyambedu here, some ticket seekers said that Vijayakant wanted to know their opinion about the alliance. "Our Captain asked whether I would be willing to contest in elections in an alliance or was comfortable with the party going it alone. I have replied that I was comfortable in both ways," a second rung party leader from Kanyakumari constituency said.
Another aspirant from Tirunelveli said that Vijayakant also enquired about how much they intended to spend on his constituency. "I have explained about the situation in my constituency. When queried about alliance, I have expressed my views on whom should we clinch an alliance with this time," the aspirant, who is eager to contest from Radhapuram assembly segment in the district. DMDK won this seat in 2011 by fielding Michael Rayappan, but the latter parted ways with Vijayakant, a few years back.
Munivel, party secretary of Poondi Panchayat Union falling under Gummidipoondi constituency in Tiruvallur district claimed that Vijayakant did not ask about the caste matrix of any constituency. "He interacted with me for five minutes. But confined to questions on my popularity among voters and winnability," he said.
Apart from Vijayakant, sources said, his brother-in-law and DMDK Youth Wing Secretary L K Sudheesh, Headquarters Secretary B Parthasarathy, Treasurer A R Elangovan and Propaganda Secretary V C Chandhirakumar also interviewed the aspirants. More than 400 ticket seekers were present in the morning with Vijayakant starting the process around 9 AM, the sources added.