FOR the first time in Tamilnadu politics, a big experiment engineered by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is gaining momentum – that is the grand alliance of Peoples’ Welfare Front (PWF) and DMDK of opposition leader and actor Vijayakanth and former union minister GK Vasan’s Tamil Manila Congress (TMC).

Executing the call of the 21st Congress of the CPI(M), the Tamilnadu state committee had decided to move towards ousting the ruling AIADMK and keeping the corrupt DMK and the Congress out as well as  fighting the communal BJP and casteist PMK.

This led to the successful formation of Makkal Nala Kootani (Peoples’ Welfare Front), in which Vaiko’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Thol. Thirumavalavan’s Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) and the Left parties, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India joined.

A massive conference of this new alternative front which attracted lakhs of people was organised in Madurai on January 26. After this huge conference, various Left and democratic forces and likeminded people started supporting the PWF. With this support, the PWF embarked on a journey to meet the people across the state led by leaders like Vaiko, G Ramakrishnan, Thol. Thirumavalavan and R Mutharasan. Four phases of this alternative political campaign were held. They met lakhs and lakhs of people in this campaign.

“The PWF was formed to fight the Congress, the BJP, the DMK and the AIADMK. The policies pursued by the AIADMK, the DMK, the Congress and the BJP are responsible for the worst situation of Tamilnadu and they cannot find a solution to any of the problems mounting on the lives of the people. Particularly, about 90 percent of the working class people in the country as well as the state belonged to the unorganised sector. Education, housing, hygiene, medical treatment and permanent employment for them has become a big question mark. The people of Tamilnadu want a new spring, a new political alternative. That is why the PWF has been formed, to provide an alternative to the above said parties”, G Ramakrishnan, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and state secretary and the architect of the PWF said.

MEGA

ALLIANCE

In this background, in the first two weeks of April, Tamilnadu witnessed a series of political developments. All the developments were due to the emergence of the new alternative force, PWF.

The first major turning point was the DMDK’s concrete and responsible political decision to join hands with the PWF in the assembly elections. Vijayakanth, leader of opposition in the Tamilnadu assembly, shattered the dreams of the DMK and the BJP by his decision.

DMK leader, Karunanidhi tried his best to pull the DMDK to his side. The senior most politician was able to pull only the corrupt Congress, some splinter groups and some casteist groups as well as some letter pad parties to its side.

On the other hand, the BJP tried heavily and bargained to garner the support of the DMDK. But the DMDK rejected both the DMK and the BJP and sided with the PWF. Thus the DMDK – PWF electoral understanding emerged.

The next turning point was the TMC leader GK Vasan’s decision to join hands with the PWF.

DMK leader Karunanidhi tried to rope in the TMC into his DMK–Congress alliance; but he had utterly failed. BJP also tried to at least pull the TMC to its side, even though it has the knowledge that Vasan’s party is an anti-communal and is a secular party. Vasan rejected the appeal of BJP and sided with the PWF.

The DMDK–PWF–TMC alliance thus emerged.

This six party alliance is now winning the confidence of the people of Tamilnadu. A huge election special conference of the six party alliance exhibited the growing confidence and support of people. Lakhs and lakhs of people gathered at the conference, which was held at Mamandoor, near Chennai on April 10.

Already the PWF has released its Common Minimum Programme. DMDK released its election manifesto. And also the DMDK announced Vijayakanth as its chief ministerial candidate. The leaders of the PWF clarified that as an alternative political entity, the PWF has an understanding with the DMDK. They also explained their three-point agenda of bringing back prohibition, rooting out corruption and forming a coalition government replacing the long history of single party rule of corrupt DMK and corrupt AIADMK in the state.

SEAT

SHARING

After the special conference, the alliance leaders started seat sharing talks and finalised that the DMDK will contest in 104 seats, MDMK in 29, TMC in 29, CPI(M) in 25, CPI in 25 and VCK in 25 seats. Total seats are 234. And also the leaders announced their campaign programme. Campaign materials, CDs were released.

Then, the seats in which the parties would contest were decided in a democratic manner among the alliance parties. Really it was a great experience for the parties as they were ill-treated in the earlier elections by the AIADMK and the DMK in the seat sharing exercises.

CPI(M)

CANDIDATES

In this mega alliance, CPI(M) is contesting 25 seats including 7 out of 10 sitting seats. Party Central Committee members A Soundararajan and K Balakrishnan are fielded again in their sitting constituencies in Perambur in Chennai and Chidambaram in Cuddalore district. Central committee member U Vasuki is contesting from Madurai West. State secretariat members K Thangavel and A Lazar are again contesting from their sitting seats, Tiruppur South and Periyakulam. AIDWA state general secretary P Suganthi is fielded in Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar in Chennai City.

PUDHUCHERRY

In Pudhucherry assembly elections too, the  PWF-DMDK-TMC alliance is contesting jointly. Here, the CPI(M) is contesting four seats out of 30. Among the four candidates of the Party, A Anand, who is fielded in Laspet constitiuency, is an SFI CEC member.

In this election, the PWF as an alternative political entity, has fielded Dr Vasanthi Devi in RK Nagar constituency, in which Jayalalithaa, CM of the state and leader of the ruling AIADMK is contesting. Dr Vasanthi Devi is a well known academic, social activist and human rights defender. She is contesting as a candidate of the VCK. This decision has drawn the wide support for the PWF from various sections.

With these prospects, the PWF has emerged as a central force in the assembly elections. For the very first time, there is a compulsion on the AIADMK and the DMK to talk about the basic demands of the PWF like liquor prohibition. The BJP and the PMK are totally alienated from the scene. Even the AIADMK and the DMK are replacing their candidates in many constituencies due to the PWF-DMDK-TMC alliance.

In short, a wave of change is rising in Tamilnadu. This will end the five decade long misrule of the DMK and the AIADMK.