Chennai: With Assembly polls round the corner and AIADMK and DMK yet to finalise tie-ups, minor parties especially with caste affiliations have begun flexing their muscles and holding conferences to attract attention of Dravidian parties.
Many of these groups have commenced their campaign among its community people. Two days ago, the All India Sowrastra Madhya Sabha, organised a state level conference in Chennai.
Over 12,000 men from the community attended the conference. People from 56 places in the state attended the meeting. They expressed faith in the leadership of the community and gave power to president T.D. Easwaramoorthy to take a decision at the time of election. Leaders from various political parties including minister for finance and PWD O. Paneerselvam and Tamilisai Soundararajan, president state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party attended the conference.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, president T.D. Easwaramoorthy said that the over 20 lakh Sowrastra community people were scattered in 56 places in Madurai, Dindigul, Salem, Kumbakonam and Ranipet areas.
“We organised the event after 35 years. The meeting was organised with an intention of garnering political support in the state. The community is not adequately represented in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. A large number of people is still dependant on weaving. Prior to the election, we organised the event to highlight our grievances and show our strength to the major parties,” he said.
Similarly, All India Telugu Federation has decided to hold conference in Chennai on February 28.
The federation comprises people from 23 Telugu speaking communities in the state.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Arunthathiyar Association, Chennai, presented a memorandum to the AIADMK expressing support to the ruling party in the forthcoming Assembly poll.
K. Raju, founder leader, Vanniyar Padhukappu Peravai, said, “We have planned to hold a executive council meeting in Cuddalore on February 20 to discuss issues relating to Assembly poll.
The meet will discuss whether to align with AIADMK or DMK. Raju, a founder member in Pattali Makkal Katchi, was instrumental in the growth of in 1990s in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts. After coming out from PMK, he floated the Vanniyar Padhukappu Peravai party.
