THOOTHUKUDI: Taking allies and adversaries by surprise, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) firebrand leader Vaiko on Monday backed out of the contest from Kovilpatti, instead pushing one of his lieutenants into the fray.
Accompanied by Vaiko, Vinayaga Ramesh, the district youth wing secretary of the MDMK, filed his nomination papers as the party nominee. Later, Vaiko said his change of heart was aimed at averting caste clashes, which the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was fomenting.
In the 2004 Lok Sabha election, Vaiko had sprung a surprise by opting out of the contest from Sivakasi and announcing the candidature of his confidante ‘Sippiparai’ Ravichandran at the last moment. The MDMK had won the seat then.
Since morning, high decibel protests were organised by Thevar outfits in front of the Travellers Bungalow at Kovilpatti. Raising slogans, they waved black flags against Vaiko. Tension prevailed in the area when the DMDK-PWA-TMC alliance supporters assembled at the spot and raised slogans against the protesters.
Fearing flare-up, police personnel immediately detained members of the Thevar outfits, while directing the supporters of DMDK-PWA-TMC alliance to disperse.
With situation under control, Vaiko, along with Vinayaga Ramesh and three others, went inside the Kovilpatti RDO office. However, contrary to the expectations, it was Ramesh, who filed the nomination paper, while Vaiko remained silent. On coming out, he read out a prepared statement, blaming the DMK.
Charging the DMK with attempting to create tension between Naidu and Thevar communities by using his name, Vaiko said this had forced him to opt out of the contest. He further alleged that the Kovilpatti DMK candidate, Subramanian, was campaigning on a casteist plank and spreading canards against him.
The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader made it clear that he was not against any community and had been honouring Thevar community icon Muthuramalinga Thevar, on the latter’s anniversary for the last four decades. Further, he had helped to erect the statue of freedom fighter Puli Thevan.
Meanwhile, Palayamkottai MDMK candidate, K M A Nizam, did not file his nomination paper as expected, giving rise to rumours that Vaiko might enter the fray from there. According to Nizam’s supporters, he might file the papers on Wednesday.
Protest by Thevars
Protests were organised by Thevar outfits in front of Travellers Bungalow at Kovilpatti. Tension prevailed when the DMDK-PWA-TMC alliance supporters raised slogans against the protesters
‘DMK Using Me to Create Tension’
Vaiko charged the DMK with attempting to create tension between Naidu and Thevar communities by using his name. The MDMK leader said this had forced him to opt out of the contest.
