We left AIADMK alliance due to EPS' stubborn attitude: Premalatha Vijayakant

We will prove our strength in this election. Everyone will come to know our strength on May 2, said Premalatha Vijayakant

Premalatha Vijayakant, the wife of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder and actor Vijayakant, is now the face of the party that was once touted as an alternative to the DMK and the AIADMK. The DMDK, which contested the 2019 elections as part of the AIADMK alliance, quit the ruling front at the last minute and joined hands with T T V Dhinakaran, nephew of V K Sasikala. Premalatha, who is contesting from the Vriddachalam constituency, spoke to DH’s E T B Sivapriyan. Excerpts:

What led to the DMDK walking out of the AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance at the eleventh hour?

We have had quite a bad experience with the AIADMK. We have been asking the AIADMK leadership to begin alliance talks in December 2020. They kept delaying the process of agreeing on the number and identifying constituencies for long. They asked us to sign the agreement on the number of seats without identifying the seats to be allotted to our party. They cannot command us like that. Moreover, the alliance was not accepted by the people in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Though it was considered as a great alliance, people rejected our combine and there was no coordination between alliance partners.

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Both parties were together in 2019, and now fighting against each other. What changed?

We placed our demand by specifying the number of seats we wanted but there was no response from the other side. Chief Minister Edappadi (K) Palaniswami was very stubborn and that is why we had to come out of the alliance. They made us wait for a long time, which irritated our cadre. They asked us to come out of the alliance and contest alone or join hands with Dhinakaran's AMMK.

Political parties and analysts feel the DMDK has lost its ground in the past few years and does not command a strong base?

We will prove our strength in this election. Everyone will come to know our strength on May 2 when the results are declared.

You have been a co-traveller of Vijayakant in politics also for the past 16 years. This is the first time you are contesting elections, and we all know the DMDK founder is unwell. Is Premalatha finally emerging from the shadows of Vijayakant?

How can one take me out of his shadow? He is the captain and I am the lady captain. I am here only for Captain, and there is no Premalatha or DMDK without Captain. We are all working for him. He is everything for us.

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Vijayakant made his debut as a legislator from the Vriddachalam Assembly segment within nine months of the launch of DMDK. And you are testing the electoral waters from the same constituency. How confident are you of your chances?

I have full faith in the people of Vriddachalam. Captain has done a lot of work for the people of Vriddachalam when he was MLA from 2006-2011. We hope that people will remember this and vote for me. When there was acute water scarcity during summer, we organised water for the people by sending six tanker lorries. The lorries continued to bring water to the people for six months. There were also other initiatives that we took during the five years, and we hope that people will remember this and vote for me. And it was me who campaigned for Captain here for one month in 2006. I am a familiar face for the people here.

So you are not just banking on Vijayakant’s popularity but also your familiarity among the people?

People have accepted me as their daughter. I am confident of winning the seat for the DMDK for the third time. While Captain won in 2006, our party candidate emerged victorious in 2011.