After a disastrous Lok Sabha election, E.V.K.S. Elangovan has spent much of his time as TNCC chief to resurrect the image of a beleaguered Congress.
Despite being weakened by the split engineered by G.K. Vasan, who revived the Tamil Maanila Congress, Mr. Elangovan continues to indulge in political posturing projecting the party as a strong unit. In an interview to The Hindu on Monday, he insists that the Congress will not backtrack from its demand for a share in power as a precondition to striking an alliance for the next Assembly elections.
Excerpts from the interview:
THE HINDU: Parties have begun to forge alliances. But, no one seems to want the Congress.
Elangovan: We aren’t looking to form an alliance. But closer to polls, if we see a situation emerging where alliance becomes a necessity, we will be open to it. Parties will talk about alliances to keep themselves visible. But, pacts entered into now may not last till the Assembly election.
DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin has said his party will build an alliance on brotherly trust without need for conditions.
He has given his party’s view. But, let me make it clear. Any alliance the Congress would enter into will involve a set of conditions. Forming a coalition government post poll is one of them. We will not align with anyone who does not accept this condition.
The days of a friendly partner are over. Second, we will join hands with parties which believe in secularism and which would accept imposition of prohibition in the State.
How do you see Mr. Stalin’s ‘Mudiyattum Vidiyattum’ tour?
Leaders of all parties take out such tours before elections to show the people that they exist and are in contention. This is to strengthen the party. Whether such tours work is something we could say only after seeing the election result.
Four parties have formed the People’s Welfare Front. This makes the coming election a multi-cornered one. Will this affect the outcome?
If you look at history, you will get an answer. At no point has a third front worked in Tamil Nadu. Such experiments have ended in failure, often reducing the strength of the constituents dramatically. I do not think the PWF will make a major impact on the elections.
They have positioned themselves as an alternative to the Dravidian parties…
How could you say that when the convener of the front is Mr. Vaiko? He also represents the same Dravidian politics of the DMK and AIADMK. So, I consider the PWF too as a Dravidian front rather than anything else.
The PMK is adamant on the chief ministerial candidature of Anbumani Ramadoss. Is the Congress open to this?
Dr. Anbumani has also said a few days ago that he was open to making compromises to get partners. You see, this is a climb down from their earlier position. Everyone has the right to dream and wish to become Chief Minister. We should see if it is practical and possible. As far the Congress is concerned, we do not have the habit of declaring a chief ministerial candidate before elections.
DMDK chief Vijayakant is hitting out at every one. How do you view his position?
It is true that statements he is making are causing some confusion. But you cannot question the sincere anti-AIADMK stand of the DMDK. They have been consistent on that. Where he wants to go for an alliance is an internal decision of the DMDK.
There is a view that the emergence of the DMDK has rendered the Congress irrelevant. Your vote share has hit a historic low...
Do not write the Congress off based on one election. We have made strong comebacks in the past. I assert that we are not any less strong than the DMDK and our base is still intact.
