Chennai: V. K. Sasikala faction of the AIADMK is pumping in a whopping '300 crore to win the elections in R K Nagar constituency, rival OPS camp candidate E. Madhusudhanan charged on Monday, while asking the Election Commission to “throw out” AIADMK ministers from the constituency since they are into threatening people to vote in their favour.
In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Madhusudhanan said leaders and cadre of the AIADMK would return to the OPS camp after the elections and that the fight was only between him and DMK candidate N. Marudhu Ganesh. The political veteran also spoke about his winning chances and the dominance of Sasikala family in the AIADMK. Excerpts:
Q: The R K Nagar byelections have evoked national interest and every political party is keeping a close watch on what would be the result. As a political veteran, what is your assessment?
I am a founding member of the AIADMK and the legendary M.G. Ramachandran drew me to politics. After the death of my leader, all of us in the AIADMK worked under Amma and she was the one who took the party to greater heights. This election is all about Amma and Amma's legacy. Our aim is to chase Sasikala's family not just from the AIADMK, but also from politics. I am at a loss to understand why they are being given so much importance. What is their contribution to the AIADMK? People of R K Nagar will teach a lesson to Sasikala and her family for all their misdeeds.
Q: Your camp criticises Sasikala and her family left, right and centre after the formal split. But you and O. Panneerselvam had openly endorsed V. K. Sasikala for the post of general secretary of the AIADMK. Isn't your current stand a big U-turn?
Everyone knew about the dominance of the (Sasikala) family in the AIADMK and how they tried to control the party at every stage. People from Sasikala's family decided who got MLA seat and after the elections, they decided the Cabinet. When Amma got to know about their dominance, she removed all of them from the party. But those were banished by Amma surrounded her body (at Rajaji Hall) and we in the party were not happy with these developments. We were waiting for the right opportunity to vent our anger. And when OPS was forced to resign and she (Sasikala) decided to become Chief Minister, we decided enough was enough. OPS gave a call for 'dharma yutham' and we joined it to restore AIADMK to its past glory.
Q: But majority of ministers and MLAs are with T. T. V. Dhinakaran. How do you see this?
They are all agents of Sasikala family. Ministers C. Vijayabhaskar, Udumalai Radhakrishnan, O.S. Manian, R.B. Uthayakumar, R. Kamaraj, P. Thangamani and S. P. Velumani are working for one family, not for the AIADMK. This gang (Sasikala) should be chased out of the AIADMK and from politics and people of R K Nagar will script history this time by electing me.
Q: Your party has been levelling allegations against T. T. V. Dhinakaran and you have complained to the EC on several occasions. Do you think the EC's action of appointing more observers would yield results on ground?
Everyday, people around me are being threatened. They get threat calls not from party functionaries and leaders, but also from ministers. My supporters are being asked to ditch me and join them and they are being offered huge financial inducements. Since none of them is ready to jump the ship, they are being threatened. Are we living in a democracy? Are they ministers or thugs? Election Commission should throw all these ministers out of the constituency if it is serious about conducting free and fair polls. What business have all 30 ministers got in one constituency? EC should question presence of ministers and direct them to leave the constituency.
Q: Do you have any evidence to prove the allegations against ministers?
We have recordings of phone calls that ministers made to my people. And my information is that the AIADMK (Amma) camp has pumped in Rs 300 crore to win the R K Nagar byelection. If they are ready to spend Rs 300 crore for one constituency, what is their source of income and how did they earn the money? Even agents are being offered money ranging between '1 and '2
lakh.
Q: Will swing voters be in your favour?
A: I have been living in R K Nagar for the last 50 years and I know this area very well. People believe I am true soldier of Amma and I will always be at their service. North Chennai got its first flyover during 1991-1996 when I was the R K Nagar MLA and I was the one who built drainage in this area. And all through my life, I have been at the beck and call of people of R K Nagar and that will help me.
Q: Will there be any political churning after the election?
A: After election, AIADMK will be one. The entire rank and file of the AIADMK will unite under OPS and we will march ahead. The AIADMK under OPS will continue its opposition to the family rule of the DMK and come back to power. We will all unite under OPS. After the election, Sasikala and her family will fade away from politics.
