COIMBATORE: Though seat-sharing talks are yet to officially commence in the INDIA alliance in Tamil Nadu, expectations are sky-high among cadre and leaders of MDMK on its chief secretary Durai Vaiko, son of party general secretary Vaiko, contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Party sources said it is almost certain that Durai Vaiko might contest from either Virudhunagar or Tiruchy, depending on which constituency the party is allotted in the alliance led by DMK in the state.
In fact, during the party’s Madurai conference held in September last year, Durai Vaiko expressed his unwillingness to contest the Lok Sabha polls. But, immediately after that various district committees of the party including those at Virudhunagar and Tiruchy passed resolutions in favour of Durai Vaiko contesting the Lok Sabha election and sent them to the party’s high command.
Speaking to TNIE, Durai Vaiko said, “Personally I am not interested in electoral politics, but the party high command, leaders and cadres are of the view that I should contest the Lok Sabha election to strengthen the party and serve the people. If the circumstances come, I will contest the poll.”
On the number of seats, the party expects in the INDIA alliance, he said, “It is not correct to say that we got one seat in the last Parliamentary election. Considering our leader's health, we got one Rajya Sabha seat and one Lok Sabha seat. So, it’s actually two seats.” The party high command has shortlisted six constituencies — Virudhunagar, Tiruchy, Erode, Mayiladuthurai, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore — and expects to get two out of these six.
“Initially we have identified six constituencies and asked our functionaries to appoint booth agents and constitute booth committees. But, we will play a crucial role and work hard in all the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu for the victory of our alliance,” Durai Vaiko added. About seat-sharing talks he said, it is yet to be started and hopefully it will start after Pongal.
MDMK Tiruchy south district secretary Manavai Tamil Manikkam said, we want our chief secretary to contest from Tiruchy because it is in the centre of Tamil Nadu and comprises people from all communities, which will help strengthen the party in the future.
Political analyst Raveendran Duraisamy says Durai Vaiko should contest and win from Virudhunagar constituency for the interest of his party. “To be relevant in politics this is a must for the party. Durai Vaiko alone can inherit Vaiko and most of the party’s vote banks will accept it. DMK president MK Stalin will also facilitate that,” he added.
The party high command’s first choice for Durai Vaiko is Virudhunagar, which was newly formed from Sivakasi during the 2008 delimitation. Vaiko had won from the constituency in 1998. But, the constituency is currently held by the Congress, with B Manickam Tagore winning the 2019 general election. So, getting a seat which is currently held by Congress will be a tough task for the party.
In case, MDMK is left with only one seat in the alliance, there are talks in the party circles that Erode Lok Sabha MP A Ganeshamurthi might be persuaded to give way for Durai Vaiko. When contacted, Ganeshamurthi said, “Nobody talked to me in this regard. On Parliamentary election, the party’s decision will be final and I will accept the party’s decision.”
The elevation of Durai Vaiko in the party ranks is not without any criticism. MDMK former presidium chairman Tiruppur S Duraisamy, who quit the party in May last year, said, though I quit the party, as a person who worked for it for the past so many years, I feel like people like Ganeshamurthi should not be neglected in MDMK. Even before MDMK was formed Ganeshamurthi was an MLA in DMK and he was imprisoned for 19 months under the MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act). When Vaiko floated MDMK in 1994 accusing M Karunanidhi of advocating ‘dynasty’ politics, nine district secretaries backed him. Among them, only Ganeshamurthi is with him now,” he said.
Saying that in many public meetings and general councils, Vaiko himself had said that his family members would not come to politics, Duraisamy felt Vaiko could think about getting a seat for his son after ensuring people like Ganeshamurthi get a seat to contest in the Lok Sabha election.