Chennai: DMDK chief Vijayakanth on Monday commenced interview of MLA ticket aspirants at his party headquarters seeking to know their views on party’s election strategy whether to go it alone or join an alliance for the ensuing Assembly polls.
Mr Vijayakanth interviewed about 300 aspirants for constituencies in Tiruvallur, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Nilgiri districts days after Kancheepuram conference that left the question of alliance wide open even though cadres wanted him to be a king and not kingmaker.
A five-member committee headed by Vijayakanth sought the views of aspirants on their choice of alliance for the ensuing state polls.
“Captain asked us what should be our choice of alliance? What will be the response to our party if we decide to go it alone?” said an aspirant for Gudalur seat in the Nilgiri district. He added that he told Captain that the party should either align with BJP or People’s Welfare Alliance rather than DMK-Congress alliance. “It will help the party emerge as an alternative to AIADMK and DMK in the state,” he said. The leaders also wanted to know the candidate’s ability to spend for the election campaign, he added.
Another aspirant from Tirunelveli said that leaders wanted to know what was the public views on the AIADMK and DMK. “They also wanted to know what is the view of public on the AIADMK government’s performance? I explained to them the present state of affairs in the district and as well as Tirunelveli seat. Captain patiently listened to my views,” he said.
The ticket aspirants’ interview assumes significance as Mr Vijayakanth had announced in the conference that he would take a final call on alliance after hearing views of aspirants and district secretaries.
