VELLORE: BATTLE OF THE LAST BASTION
‘I see cancellation of May polls as a welcome development’
Being part of the AIADMK alliance,
A C Shanmugam
has everything for the asking with the entire state cabinet campaigning and canvassing votes for him. Having won the Vellore Lok Sabha seat in 1984 and placed second in 2014, his is a popular face. But, since he does not belong to the AIADMK and his New Justice Party hardly has a presence, he has a tough battle ahead. Excerpts from an interview with
D Govardan:
When election to Vellore LS seat was cancelled, what was your reaction?
Income tax authorities discovered ₹11 crore cash from (DMK treasurer) Durai Murugan’s college and premises on April
1. It was proved that cash played a role. After seizing the cash on April 1, they should have cancelled the elections on April 4. But, it was done a day after the campaign ended (on April 16) and it shocked everyone. India was voting to elect the Prime Minister, but the people of Vellore could not participate in that process. Our hard work came to naught. Like Theni, even in Vellore, we would have won by 50,000 to 75,000 votes. My victory was stalled by their cash bags. It jolted me.
Is it any different now?
Now I see that as a welcome development. At least 30 ministers are now camping here to ensure victory of the AIADMK alliance. My only request to them was not to treat this as just an election exercise but help me resolve all issues relating to the constituency. If I had to do this after my win, it would have taken me four years to get these many ministers as well as the chief minister and deputy CM to visit my constituency. Now people have submitted their petitions in person to them and in 15 days the issues of my constituency are known to all ministers. This will help me serve the people better.
You are being projected as a future Union minister if you win.
I am part of the National Democratic Alliance and was with it in 2014 too. During Vajpayee’s NDA too, my party was part of it and I have been a part of the BJP alliance. But my becoming a minister will be decided by the PM and the NDA convenor. My focus is to ensure victory of the two leaves symbol and to serve people. With the AIADMK in power in the state and the BJP at the Centre, I along with my brother and Theni MP P Raveendranath Kumar, can ensure all central schemes reach the state.
Vellore has a large Muslim population and you are alligned with the BJP.
Muslims have accepted the BJP in the north. In Tamil Nadu, due to the opposition’s smear campaign against PM Narendra Modi it became an issue. After becoming PM, Modi has instructed his party MPs to endear themselves to the minorities, so the poisonous campaign by the opposition will not work in Vellore. Recently, a bishop filed his nomination as an independent. But, fearing a split in minority votes, DMK cadres tried to attack him. They attack Muslims and Christians and hence neither of them will vote for Durai Murugan’s family this time. The DMK is in for a big defeat.
Has the BJP has been kept out of the AIADMK campaign?
It is not true. BJP district and state secretaries and functionaries are campaigning with us. The BJP’s flags are prominent on our campaign and rallies. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundarajan too is set to join the campaign.
There are differences within the AIADMK over triple talaq.
A small section of Muslim women welcome the Triple Talaq Bill as a majority of them view the law to be against the Quran. Support and opposition are both from within the community. Hence, my brother Raveendranath Kumar spoke in favour of women’s rights. But, the AIADMK opposed it in Rajya Sabha keeping in mind the majority views and beliefs of the community. They are with us and we will win.
‘I see cancellation of May polls as a welcome development’
Being part of the AIADMK alliance,
A C Shanmugam
has everything for the asking with the entire state cabinet campaigning and canvassing votes for him. Having won the Vellore Lok Sabha seat in 1984 and placed second in 2014, his is a popular face. But, since he does not belong to the AIADMK and his New Justice Party hardly has a presence, he has a tough battle ahead. Excerpts from an interview with
D Govardan:
When election to Vellore LS seat was cancelled, what was your reaction?
Income tax authorities discovered ₹11 crore cash from (DMK treasurer) Durai Murugan’s college and premises on April
1. It was proved that cash played a role. After seizing the cash on April 1, they should have cancelled the elections on April 4. But, it was done a day after the campaign ended (on April 16) and it shocked everyone. India was voting to elect the Prime Minister, but the people of Vellore could not participate in that process. Our hard work came to naught. Like Theni, even in Vellore, we would have won by 50,000 to 75,000 votes. My victory was stalled by their cash bags. It jolted me.
Is it any different now?
Now I see that as a welcome development. At least 30 ministers are now camping here to ensure victory of the AIADMK alliance. My only request to them was not to treat this as just an election exercise but help me resolve all issues relating to the constituency. If I had to do this after my win, it would have taken me four years to get these many ministers as well as the chief minister and deputy CM to visit my constituency. Now people have submitted their petitions in person to them and in 15 days the issues of my constituency are known to all ministers. This will help me serve the people better.
You are being projected as a future Union minister if you win.
I am part of the National Democratic Alliance and was with it in 2014 too. During Vajpayee’s NDA too, my party was part of it and I have been a part of the BJP alliance. But my becoming a minister will be decided by the PM and the NDA convenor. My focus is to ensure victory of the two leaves symbol and to serve people. With the AIADMK in power in the state and the BJP at the Centre, I along with my brother and Theni MP P Raveendranath Kumar, can ensure all central schemes reach the state.
Vellore has a large Muslim population and you are alligned with the BJP.
Muslims have accepted the BJP in the north. In Tamil Nadu, due to the opposition’s smear campaign against PM Narendra Modi it became an issue. After becoming PM, Modi has instructed his party MPs to endear themselves to the minorities, so the poisonous campaign by the opposition will not work in Vellore. Recently, a bishop filed his nomination as an independent. But, fearing a split in minority votes, DMK cadres tried to attack him. They attack Muslims and Christians and hence neither of them will vote for Durai Murugan’s family this time. The DMK is in for a big defeat.
Has the BJP has been kept out of the AIADMK campaign?
It is not true. BJP district and state secretaries and functionaries are campaigning with us. The BJP’s flags are prominent on our campaign and rallies. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundarajan too is set to join the campaign.
There are differences within the AIADMK over triple talaq.
A small section of Muslim women welcome the Triple Talaq Bill as a majority of them view the law to be against the Quran. Support and opposition are both from within the community. Hence, my brother Raveendranath Kumar spoke in favour of women’s rights. But, the AIADMK opposed it in Rajya Sabha keeping in mind the majority views and beliefs of the community. They are with us and we will win.
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