Unveiling his plans for the party, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam leader Vijayakant said here on Saturday that he would sit as the Leader of the Opposition in the 14th Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Party performance
The DMDK, which contested the elections in alliance with the AIADMK, secured 29 seats, improving its performance by leaps and bounds since the last Assembly elections when it won just one seat.
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By securing over 10 per cent of the seats in the Assembly (total of 234 seats), the party has won the right to be the principal Opposition party, and its leader, the Leader of the Opposition enjoying Cabinet rank.
Speaking to reporters at the DMDK party office at Koyambedu, Mr. Vijayakant refused to elaborate, but said that he would be able to settle on an agenda only at least after a month, once the government is formed.
His ideal, he clarified, would be to eliminate poverty and corruption.
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Repeating his statement of Friday, he said that the party was willing to make any kind of sacrifice to ensure that outgoing Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi does not return to power.
“It will take at least a year-and-a-half to revamp Tamil Nadu.”
DMDK party presidium chairman Panruti Ramachandran, who won the Alandur seat, defeating Congress candidate Gayatri Devi by 5,754 votes, said that the party would be a “constructive Opposition party.”
“We will be able to help, guide and, if necessary, criticise the actions of the government. Opposition party does not mean we must always oppose everything,” he said.
The party was committed to being watchful. “If something is good for the people, we will welcome it, and if there is something wrong, then we will fight to set it right,” Mr. Ramachandran said.
Restoration of law
The focus of the party would be the restoration of the rule of law in Tamil Nadu, and one of the main tasks would be in this direction, he indicated.
The DMDK leaders conveyed their wishes to Jayalalithaa, soon to be sworn in Chief Minister.