EPS saying AIADMK will have majority win shows party’s conflict with BJP: Thirumavalavan

VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan has seen an inherent conflict between the AIADMK and the BJP on whether they would form a coalition government, if they win next year’s Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

“While Union Home Minister Amit Shah is repeating there will be a coalition government, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has made it clear that his party will win with a majority (hinting it will form a single party rule),” he said.

Addressing a public meeting at Melavalavu near Madurai on Monday to mark the anniversary of ‘Melavalavu massacre’, in which seven Scheduled Caste people, including panchayat president Murugesan, were murdered decades ago, he pointed to Mr. Palaniswami’s statement that no party could gobble up the AIADMK, and said the AIADMK leader was referring to the BJP attempting to undermine his party.

“If it was about the DMK, he (Palaniswami) cannot say ‘gobble up’ as the DMK only thinks of defeating the AIADMK electorally. Only the BJP is planning to disrupt the opposition party to put it as a replacement,” he charged.

Welcoming AIADMK’s position of not losing their uniqueness in dealing with the BJP, he said the repeated instances showed that there was an ongoing conflict between them.

He said everyone was preying upon the VCK to get a hint of disruption in the DMK alliance, but that would not happen as their alliance was to save the State from Hindutva organisations.

Commenting on the Hindu Munnani’s mocking video on former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai and Periyar E.V. Ramasamy during the recent Muruga Bhakthargalin Aanmeega Maanadu in Madurai, Mr. Thirumavalavan said the ‘Sangh’ could never criticise or mock Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. “Though everyone knows they have a hidden agenda, they try to portray B.R. Ambedkar as their guiding light,” he added.

Starting from BJP’s win in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party had been trying to alter the Constitution. “Martyrs like Murugesan, who lost their life to the brutal violence staged by caste Hindus, fought for their right to become the panchayat president,” he added.

Mr. Thirumavalavan said Murugesan stood for his rights despite being aware of the consequences. “But our struggle should not just stop with winning a panchayat president seat, but it should expand to rule the country, that is when our struggle will have a meaning,” he said.

The VCK, which was started as a social organisation, had never fallen for the offer of more seats in an alliance. The party’s aim was not just to attain political power but to educate people and politicise them. “When other parties can feel proud of winning seats and earning money, we can proclaim that we have politicised people about their rights and role in society,” Mr. Thirumavalavan added.