The founder of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and R.K. Nagar legislator, T.T.V. Dhinakaran , who will turn 55 on Thursday, appeared to be relaxed on Monday morning at his office-cum-residence in Adyar. Wearing a T-shirt, he asserted that no national party — neither BJP nor the Congress — sent him any feelers. There was also no indication from anyone that he should merge the AMMK with the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). But, he disclosed that he was in touch with a few regional parties, which are interested in joining me. Excerpts from an interview he gave The Hindu .
Can you clarify the latest observation of [the AMMK propaganda secretary] Thanga Tamilselvan on the issue of merger with the AIADMK? Is there any change in your position?
He has stated only my position and that of the party. Our stand is simple. Barring 12 persons, others [from the AIADMK] can come and join us, if they want. Neither members of the party nor people would like us taking those 12 persons, as there are grave corruption charges against them.
Let me also make one thing very clear. We are not asking anyone to come and join us. When the media are asking me whether I would admit willing persons, I have to answer such questions. So, our statements are in response to the questions of the media and we, in the AMMK, have not made any statement on our own.
Do the 12 persons include EPS [Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami], OPS [Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam], [Electricity Minister P.] Thangamani and [Local Administration Minister S.P.] Velumani ?
Yes. The remaining persons know who I am referring to.
What is your problem against the 12 persons?
I have nothing against Ministers personally. There are grave charges of corruption against them.
Has the activity of your organisation become less vigorous or less enthusiastic in recent times, compared to what your group did a year ago?
No. There is no let-up in our functioning.
What is the membership of your organisation?
Till yesterday (Sunday), 1.02 crore membership forms, all filled properly, were received. Actually, we have got much more than this but returned them for want of details. Our target is to recruit two crore members.
Have you received feelers from the BJP? It is also said that the BJP is of the view that AMMK and the AIADMK should come together.
No. I am also hearing it only through newspapers and magazines. No national party has sent me any emissary. No one has also conveyed to me that there should be a merger. I do not think anyone is advocating the merger. There were also reports that I had attempted to meet [Congress president] Rahul Gandhi or an emissary of Rahul Gandhi had met me. They are all false.
But, I am in touch with a few regional parties, which are interested in joining me. As elections approach, this will acquire finality.
However, I feel that the Central government is trying to evict me from politics or erase the AMMK. Just as general secretary [Sasikala, who is serving a four-year-long sentence in a Bengaluru jail] has been rendered inactive in politics, the BJP and the Centre are making attempts to make me ineffective. I will fight out all these efforts.
Also, there is no contact with [Chief Minister] Edappadi [K. Palaniswami]. I met him last on April 14 last year, when I paid homage to Ambedkar. After that, I did not meet him nor did I get any feeler from his side.
So, you are in touch with two or three state-level parties?
Actually, four parties. We are now talking to each other… Let the talks reach finality. It would not look nice to reveal their identity now.
Did you meet [Pattali Makkal Katchi youth wing chief] Anbumani [Ramadoss] recently?
No. I met him last in 2009. There was a report of meeting [Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam’s deputy general secretary] Sudeesh at a hotel. I saw him many years ago.
What is your position on the BJP? What is your view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi?
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, there were widespread expectations that he [Mr Modi] would bring in great changes. But, they all got belied. On projects such as methane gas, hydrocarbon, neutrino and Sterlite, the stand of the BJP is different and which is against the wishes of people. My reading is that just because the BJP got only one seat in this State in 2014 unlike in many other States where it did well, it is the feeling of the people of the State that the BJP and Mr Modi are neglecting Tamil Nadu.
What would you do if the Congress exerts pressure on you to join a combination that includes the DMK?
We cannot be part of any combination that consists of the DMK, which is our principal adversary. I do not think the Congress will make any such attempt.
Do you now feel in retrospect that the episode of 19 AIADMK MLAs handing over a memorandum to the then Governor Vidyasagar Rao in August 2017 could have been handled differently? There is a perception in certain quarters that you have lost in the given round of the battle.
It’s all legal battle. In politics, you have to fight it out. Only elections would determine who the real winner is. Did I not win the [by-] election [for R K Nagar], in the court of people? Likewise, we would win if elections are held.
What is your response to Mr. Panneerselvam’s observation that till the death of Jayalalithaa, no person other than Sasikala was readmitted to the party because she did not want the domination of any single family in the affairs of the AIADMK?
It was he who had told a television channel after the death of Amma [Jayalalithaa] that he was introduced by “TTV sir” to her. Please go to Theni district, which is his home district, and find out on your own about the image that his family has there. Whatever he says, it is all for political reasons. People would give a fitting reply to such a ‘noble person.’
What is your assessment of relief and restoration works in the cyclone-hit districts?
The government has not handled them properly. Voluntary organisations and parties like ours are doing most of the work. People of the Thanjavur region, known for being reasonable and well informed, got very much agitated over the government because of observations of Ministers and officers that the areas had not suffered much damage. Coconut farmers badly need liberal assistance.
Would the entry of film stars such as Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan in politics affect established political players?
There would not be any impact on us. As on date, in 200 out of 234 Assembly constituencies, the strength of our vote share is in the range of 40% to 45%
What is your answer to the criticism that Dravidian parties have not done much for the uplift of Dalits?
Did not Amma field Dalit Ezhilmalai in Tiruchi, a general constituency [in 2001]? In every layer of my organisation, slots are compulsorily earmarked for Dalits. Several office-bearers in the AMMK are Dalits. We do not differentiate people on caste lines. The selection is done on the basis of one’s level of efficiency.
