JOIN USBJP's brand of politics irritates Tamils, what they stand for is offensive to Tamil Nadu: Karti
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not yet liked by people in Tamil Nadu, and whatever the party stands for, actually irritates or irks the average Tamil, says Congress MP from Sivaganga, Karti P Chidambaram. In an interview to DH's ETB Sivapriyan, he spoke on the DMK-Congress alliance's prospects in this election, and the BJP. Excerpts:
Q: Congress in Tamil Nadu demanded a huge number of seats from the DMK but was allotted only 25. How has your cadre taken this?
A: See, we are past that point. Candidates have filed their nominations and their papers have been accepted. The Congress is contesting 25 seats, and that is a fact now. Our goal now is to maximise our efforts to ensure that we win all the 25 seats we are contesting and ensure that the alliance wins handsomely to form the next government. This is not the time to be agitating on the number of seats.
Q: And there were also a lot of problems within the Congress on demand for tickets? Has everything been solved?
A: Actually, I welcome debate and competition for seats within the party. That actually is a great sign of vitality in the party. If nobody seeks tickets, or if there is no competition for a particular ticket, that is not a very healthy sign. We are a large party, having a presence from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Of course, there will be multiple claimants and that is natural. We should have the internal competition before somebody is selected. And please let us get this very, very clear. Once the candidate is selected, he becomes the Indian National Congress candidate and the entire party supports that candidate and ensures he wins elections.
Q: What are the chances for the DMK-Congress alliance, according to you?
A: I think this is going to be a repeat of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where the Congress and DMK alliance had a handsome victory. For ten years, the AIADMK has been in power. Everybody knows the AIADMK is no more an independent party. They are completely a vassal and a subsidiary of the BJP. And the people do not want a government with any taint of the BJP. They don't want a government that has a shadow or taint of the BJP upon them. And I think they will vote decisively and they will vote this government out.
Q: If you see the campaign of the DMK-Congress, maximum importance is given to BJP. Is BJP the weapon for DMK and Congress to get votes?
A: It is not a weapon, it is an issue. Because the BJP has no MPs and no MLAs in Tamil Nadu and it has been trying to dominate governments without having any direct elected representatives by misusing agencies. So, this is a party which is employing very underhanded methods to come to power and influence the government. So, it is essential for us to highlight that and also the policies of the BJP, which is a very Hindi-Hindutva agenda-driven politics and that Tamil Nadu doesn't like. Even when they announce candidates for Tamil Nadu it comes out in Hindi and when we are in Parliament and raise questions in English, the answers come in Hindi. So, their overt Hindi imposition and also their brand of Hindutva is not liked by the people of Tamil Nadu. There is a great resistance against their brand of politics and their anti-minorities stance also irks people. Whatever the BJP stands for, actually irritates or irks the average Tamil.
Q: Is Hindi imposition an issue this election?
A: It is. It is not just the imposition of the language. It is actually the imposition or decimation of the cultural identity of a state. You know, there have been many instances, where students from Tamil Nadu are not given an option to write Central government exams in Tamil. BJP's overt imposition irritates a lot of people.
Q: What according to you are BJP's chances in this election?
A: I am reasonably confident that we will maintain this unique position of 00 MLAs and 00 MPs. It is a detested party. Whatever the BJP stands for, their brand of politics, their communication, and their language, everything is offensive to the Tamil identity and to the Tamil persona.
Q: Coming back to your party, Congress has been trying to grow in Tamil Nadu, and what are the chances for the party post-elections?
A: I have definitive plans but this is not the time and forum for me to comment. I personally have plans and I hope to play some role in implementing those ideas. But now is not the time. The focus now is to win the elections. And I am absolutely confident that there will be a clear mandate in favour of the DMK led Alliance and the DMK will lead the government post-May 2.
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