Makkal Needhi Maiam’s T. Nagar candidate Pala. Karuppiah on Saturday objected to opinion polls predicting a straight contest between the alliances led by the DMK and the AIADMK and slammed the two Dravidian parties and their alliance partners for justifying corruption. The MNM secured 18,272 votes in the segment that falls under the South Chennai constituency in the Lok Sabha election.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Karuppiah said it was important for the people to choose the right option instead of choosing a side that is likely to win. Criticising the incumbent AIADMK MLA, he said, “I resigned my MLA post complaining of corruption. This is what I am telling the voters. The incumbent has shown more wealth in his affidavit this time than last time. When people like Edappadi K. Palaniswami become Chief Ministers, it is no surprise that MLAs become wealthy.”
Stating that there was a time when integrity, honesty and morals were pronounced in public life which produced leaders such as K. Kamaraj and C. Rajagopalachari, Mr. Karuppiah said it was important to reintroduce these traits. “We have to introduce a politics that is opposed to this trend,” he said.
Asked how he hoped to reach out to upper caste voters after espousing views in support of Dravidian ideology and anti-Brahminism on a few occasions, Mr. Karuppiah said, “These views are spoken when caste differences are pronounced. I have written once that Brahmins have given three important things to India: the Ramayanam, the Mahabharatham and Rajaji. Two Brahmins who created a great impact on me are J. Krishnamurti and Rajaji. We should appreciate good things from everyone without discrimination.”
He criticised the Communist parties that were aligned with the DMK. “After creating a situation where money is given to voters, the Dravidian parties are now giving money to their allies and asking them to let go of their identity. Communist parties should influence the DMK, but they are taking money from the DMK. If they are accepting corrupt money, how can they be a party of workers and the poor?” he said. Rejecting the criticism that the MNM is a vote-splitter, he asked, “If we shouldn’t split votes, we must seek money and join an alliance and support this corruption. Is that right? Or should we contest alone and try to form a government?”
