Vaiko: This poll say no to vote-for-cash

Chennai: Signifying its state of preparedness for the battle royale, MDMK chief Vaiko-led People’s Welfare Front (PWF) has announced to launch its election campaign for the Assembly poll from the coastal Cuddalore district on Sunday.
 Setting the tone and tenor of the four-party combine’s campaign, Mr Vaiko appealed to the people to resolve not to vote for cash but strive to install a corruption-free government. “Our objective is to throw out the Dravidian majors and establish a corrupt-free government,” he said after chairing a meeting with allies at his party office here on Saturday. Emerging after the one-and-a-half hour meeting, he told reporters that they would  begin electioneering from Sunday for the elections due this April-May.

PWF will contest all the 234 Assembly seats in the state. The PWF has been projecting itself as an alternative to the ruling AIADMK and Opposition DMK.

VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, CPI State Secretary R. Mutharasan and CPI (M) State Secretary G. Ramakrishnan besides Mr. Vaiko attended the meeting.

Asked if the leaders of PWF would throw their hats in the ring, the firebrand speaker said Thirumavalavan had already expressed his desire to enter the electoral fray. As far as his party and the two Left Parties are concerned, a decision will be taken after a meeting of the respective parties, he said and added that his front is confident of defeating its enemies in the ensuing political battle with people’s support. Rallies in various parts of TN would highlight PWF’s common minimum programme too.

Continuing his tirade against the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “enacted a farce” when he claimed that he was a friend of farmers. He lashed out at the Centre for misleading people on the Sri Lankan issue and said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Colombo would not benefit Lankan Tamils.