Venkatesh Athreya
ON November 2, at a function held in Thaayakam, the headquarters of the Marumalarchchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in Chennai, the leaders of MDMK, CPI(M), CPI and the Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Katchi (VCK) released the common minimum programme (CMP) of the alliance of the four parties which will contest the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu in 2016 jointly. The alliance, popularly known as the People’s Welfare Front (PWF), has been working together for several months now, conducting struggles and campaigns on people’s issues, against the neo-liberal policies of the central and state governments, the communal politics of the BJP, the practice of untouchability and the rampant corruption in Tamil Nadu. It has now taken the shape of an electoral alliance.
Speaking at the function to release the CMP, MDMK general secretary Vaiko pointed out that, while constituency adjustments/allocations had been arrived at in earlier elections in Tamil Nadu among political parties to contest elections jointly, this is the first time that an electoral alliance with a clearly defined common programme announced well ahead of the elections had come into being. This was indeed historic. The CMP was no hasty cut-and-paste job. Each constituent party had deliberated on the issues of the CMP in several sittings and joint sittings followed, resulting finally in a concrete and viable programme that addresses people’s needs. The CMP would inspire confidence among the people of Tamil Nadu, Vaiko said.
Vaiko slammed the massive corruption indulged in by both DMK and the AIADMK over the years. He also highlighted the danger to the secular and plural character of India posed by the communal forces of RSS, BJP and other outfits of the Sangh Parivar. Speaking on the occasion, G Ramakrishnan, secretary of the Tamil Nadu state committee of CPI(M) and a member of the Polit Bureau of the Party, highlighted the commitment of the CMP to bring a Lokayukta into being to prevent corruption which had been institutionalised on a massive scale in the state by the DMK and the AIADMK. Ramakrishnan stressed that the CMP puts forward a concrete programme of alternative economic policies to the neo-liberal policies followed now by the BJP and the AIADMK and earlier by the Congress and the DMK. It puts forward a vision of Tamil Nadu free of untouchability, communal strife, corruption and the liquor menace. The CMP also includes the promise of new legislation to put an end to the scourge of so-called ‘honour’ killings in the state.
Responding to queries from the media on issues on which the four parties did not have a common position, Vaiko and Ramakrishnan clarified that the CMP would naturally focus only on issues on which the four parties had a common stand. Ramakrishnan pointed out that, if all the four parties had identical positions on all issues, there would be no reason to have four separate parties.
The leaders of all the four parties – Vaiko, G Ramakrishnan, R Mutharasan and Thol Thirumavalavan – emphasised that the alliance of the four parties would continue beyond the elections, focusing on solving people’s issues. The formation of the alliance had changed all equations and created hope among the people. The leaders were confident of the PWF doing very well in the assembly elections. They also appealed to other political parties, especially the DMDK led by Vijayakanth and the Tamil Maanila Congress led by G K Vasan to join the alliance. The alliance would only exclude the Congress, BJP, DMK, AIADMK and PMK.
The PWF is organising a big public meeting in Coimbatore on November 25, 2015 to explain the salient features of the CMP of the PWF to the people.
BOX 1: Timeline of campaigns and struggles jointly conducted by the Parties in People’s Welfare Front
DATE | Details of Campaign/Struggle/Event |
July 27, 2015 | Leaders of the constituent parties meet, discuss and evolve a fifteen point programme focussing on people’s issues, thus marking the birth of the PWF |
August 4, 2015 | Total strike demanding implementation of total prohibition in Tamil Nadu |
August 13, 2015 | Demonstrations in five zones in the state, seeking the implementation of the fifteen point charter of demands of PWF. Massive gathering at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, with leaders of the Front addressing thousands of people. |
August 26, 2015 | Massive demonstration near Valluvar Kottam in Chennai demanding CBI inquiry into the killing of 20 persons from Tamil Nadu, fired upon by the police in Andhra Pradesh |
August 27, 2015 | Public meeting in Kovilpatti, in support of the All India General Strike on September 2, called by the central trade unions |
September 2, 2015 | Participation of PWF in the general strike called by the central TUs |
September 8, 2015 | Massive fast programme in Polur, demanding CBI inquiry into the killing of 20 persons from Tamil Nadu in police firing in Andhra Pradesh |
October 5, 2015 | Huge public meeting of PWF in Tiruvarur to create popular awareness, demanding scrapping of the project to extract methane gas and exploring for shale gas in the Kaveri delta, and stopping of building dams across the Kaveri river in Megadatu and Rasimanal in Karnataka
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October 23, 2015 | Drafting Committee presents the draft CMP to the leaders of the four Parties constituting the PWF. |
October 30 , 2015 | Demonstration by PWF in Periapet in Cuddalore district demanding the scrapping of the proposal to set up a dyeing unit there that would have adverse environmental impact |
October 31, 2015 | Demonstration by PWF in Tiruchirapalli, condemning the violence unleashed against dalits and minorities and the killing of progressive writers by Hindutva fanatics and demanding protection of the right to free speech. |
November 2, 2015 | Release of the CMP of the PWF in Chennai by the leaders of the Front. |
November 3, 2015 | Demonstrations in all district headquarters condemning the policies of the central and state governments that have caused enormous rise in prices of essential commodities including dal. |
Highlights of the Common Minimum Programme of the People’s Welfare Front
· Minimum wage of Rs 15,000 per month
· The right to form trade unions in MNCs and the police department. All labour laws to be mandatory in SEZs as well.
· Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme with central government funding
· Allocation of 5 percent and 6 percent of State domestic product (SDP) respectively to education and health.
· Tamil would be made the first language. Education through mother tongue.
· Healthcare services would be taken to the doorstep of all senior citizens
· Old age pension to be raised to Rs 3,000 along with free bus services
· 30 kg of rice would be given to ration card holders.
· Reservations in the private sector.
· A Lokayukta law would be passed to fight corruption.
· A law against so-called ‘honour’ killings will be enacted.
