“A CLEAN government of Peoples’ Welfare Alliance (Makkal Nala Kootani) will be formed based on alternative policies after the assembly elections; that is the future of Tamil Nadu”. Declaring this at a massive rally in the historic city of Madurai, Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the CPI(M), gave a clarion call for an alternative government to the “corrupt” AIADMK and DMK. Addressing a massive gathering at the conference of PWA at Othakadai in the outskirts of the city of Madurai, Sitaram Yechury said while the national coalition governments framed their common minimum programme only after forming the government, the PWF devised it before forming the government. He likened Tamil Nadu politics to a football match, wherein people were trying to put the ball in one or the other goal posts, where both the posts were of no difference. “Both are corrupt and pursuing wrong economic policies,” he noted. PWA is a four party alliance of Left and democratic parties comprising MDMK, CPI(M), CPI and VCK, a newly formed alternative front which is gathering wide support across the state. People’s Welfare Alliance would form a coalition government with all checks and balances to provide a corruption-free rule that would ensure social justice in the state, declared its coordinator and general secretary of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Vaiko. Addressing the conference Vaiko said that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had vied with each other on increasing liquor sale in the state. Under both the governments, the state had witnessed a massive swindling of natural wealth, like sand, beach sand and granite. “The AIADMK has not made public the Gagandeep Singh Bedi enquiry committee report on beach sand. And the DMK was silent on the issue. So, is the case of DMK on granite scam report by the Sagayam panel,” he added. Stating that there was a phenomenal increase in the number of sexual assaults on minor children in the state in the last four-and-a-half-year rule, he said it was mainly because of TASMAC. Stating that the DMK, which did not condemn the death of Gandhian Sasi Perumal who fought for prohibition, Vaiko said that the party was now promising to bring in prohibition if it came to power. “Will this party do it? Then, why did it not implement it after it made the same promise in 1996,” he asked. The PWA on coming to power will set up Lokayukta and form a transparent government, Vaiko said. Efforts to break the PWA by political opponents will meet with failure only, he asserted. CPI general secretary, S Sudhakar Reddy who addressed the rally asserted that the party was one of the four founders of the PWA and would continue to fight the corrupt. The Dravidian parties have given up Periyar’s ideology and were in the centre of grave corruption charges. Vidhuthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader, Thol. Tirumavalavan said the PWA was not just an alternative front to the Dravidian parties, but one with an alternative political ideology of multi-party rule. “The Dravidian parties have been making piggyback rides on smaller parties by forming poll alliance to fight election, but do not give a share in governance. The PWA aims to give the common man a share in governance in Tamil Nadu for the first time,” he said, amid loud cheer and applause. The “PWA is not a substitute, but an alternative,” he said. CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan, CPI veteran R Nallakannu, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan spoke.