With Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam leader Vijayakant making it clear that his cadre wanted him to be a ‘king’ rather than a ‘kingmaker’, the party has virtually shut the doors on the DMK, which has been seeking to rope him into its alliance with the Congress.
Mr. Vijayakant said he was no longer willing to “pawn” his outfit and its cadres.
Speaking at the mega party rally here, Mr. Vijayakant, on multiple occasions, asked the crowd if he should be part of an alliance. An overwhelming majority responded negatively.
‘King or Kingmaker?’
“Should I be the King or the Kingmaker,” he asked the huge crowd. When they shouted ‘King’, he said. “Oru panai sotruku oru soru padham,” indicating that this reflected the opinion of the entire party. However, he was quick to add that he would solicit the views of his party leaders over the next few days.
Mr. Vijayakant said that his cadre indicated that if parties wanted him to be a part of their electoral alliance, they should don the role of palanquin bearers, and not expect the DMDK to do it. He made it very clear that his party cadre should follow whatever directions he issues with firm commitment, in order to achieve the party’s objective to provide a corrupt free government in the State.
But it was Ms. Premalatha’s speech that added credence to the view that the DMDK might keep away from the DMK. “The corrupt DMK and AIADMK have converted the State into a burial ground,” she charged.
Slump in growth
Slamming the AIADMK government, Mr. Vijayakant alleged that economic growth had slumped. He dared the ruling party to go it alone in all the 234 constituencies. “The AIADMK Ministers keep saying that there are no adversaries in sight. Look at this crowd. Could you see your adversaries now,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Vijayakant released a part of the DMDK’s election manifesto. A smart village scheme in the name of former President APJ Abdul Kalam would be launched under which a monthly income of Rs. 25,000 would be ensured for one individual in every household, he said.
Vijayakant dared the ruling party to go it alone in
all the 234 constituencies
