‘Leave alliance decision to me’

DMDK leader flays DMK as corrupt, anti-Tamil, says it must be voted out

POLL MODE: DMDK founder Vijayakant at the inauguration of the party's conference in Salem on Sunday. Photo: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

The Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) president Vijayakant has told his partymen to “leave the issue of alliance” to him.

“Have faith in me and I will take care of the alliance,” he said while responding to a roaring crowd that overwhelmingly favoured an alliance by raising their hands when their leader asked him to voice their opinion on alliance. A few raised their hands when he asked the cadres how many were not in favour of an alliance.

Assuring the massive crowd, he said the DMDK would never compromise on its principles under the ruse of an alliance. “We cannot bequeath our party to someone in an alliance and compromise on our self respect. I will not be a slave in any alliance,” he asserted. He sought the people's co-operation to annihilate the ‘evil forces' that had betrayed Tamils' rights.

Launching a stinging broadside against the ruling DMK regime, which he called as ‘corrupt and anti-Tamils' and hence should be dismissed, he said that without the DMDK no party can come to power.

Mr. Vijayakant said that the people of Tamil Nadu were forced as ‘slaves' of a family rule. “The DMDK alone can save the Tamils and restore their self respect,” he added.

Referring frequently to AIADMK founder leader M G Ramachandran, he said that Chief Minister and DMK Chief M Karunanidhi was targeting him today as he did against MGR in the past. “Corruption today has become all-pervasive. Law and order has deteriorated. Police have been reduced to mere minions of DMK ministers. Even murder accused are being protected,” he said and warned them that once the regime changed, a complete overhaul of the force would be initiated.

He said that as long as the DMK regime was there, the poor would remain poor and Mr. Karunanidhi would continue to offer freebies. “He gives freebies with your money. But the DMDK will strive hard to eradicate poverty and corruption,” he said.

Urging the DMK to come clean on the 2G spectrum scam, Mr. Vijayakant criticized the fact that the DMK chief often resorted to the use of ‘Dalit card.'