“The All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is no longer Jayalalithaa's party. It is Modi’s party,” said Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Friday, 12 March, at a public meeting in Chennai.
Refuting allegations that the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) is the “B team of the BJP”, he said TTV Dhinakaran was politically mature to respect leaders and minorities.
The AMMK party chief along with Owaisi slammed the Dravidian parties – Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the AIADMK – for “compromising on principles for political gains”.
AMMK is contesting the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu in alliance with AIMIM and SDPI.
TTV Dhinakaran said that he had started the party “to keep alive Amma’s true ideology”.
Is Shiv Sena Secular, Owaisi Asks DMK
Owaisi slammed DMK stating the party is not truly secular by nature.
“DMK only knows arrogance. You accuse us of being BJP’s B-Team. What is secularism according to you? Is your ally Congress, who made the Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, secular? Is Shiv Sena secular? The CM proudly says ‘we destroyed Babri Masjid’. Congress is allying with such people. Do you agree with this DMK?”Asaduddin Owaisi, Chief of AIMIM
He also accused the Congress of backing the BJP government’s amendment to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Owaisi recalled how the Dravidian party’s minority wing had invited him to attend a conference in Chennai, to which he obliged and the party later denied the meeting. “When a party does not even respect its minority president, how will they respect you?” he asked.
Commenting on DMK’s promise to give homemakers an allowance of Rs 1,000, Dhinakaran said, “You're not even giving money to old age homes. How will you fulfill this promise? Are you going to give away your father's money? Or will you give alms?”
“Even by mistake, don't let the evil DMK come to power. Help us retrieve AIADMK and practise Amma’s rule,” he added.
Owaisi As Popular as Rajinikanth: Dhinakaran
Explaining his alliance with Dhinakaran, Owaisi said, “People ask me why I allied with Dhinakaran. When my state president went and met him, I asked if Dhinakaran had treated them with respect? When they said ‘yes’, I immediately asked them to sign an agreement. Hence, I appeal to all minorities to vote for our alliance.”
Dhinakaran, nephew of ousted AIADMK general secretary Sasikala, equated Owaisi's popularity to that of Rajinikanth. He urged people to not allow the DMK to come to power.
“In Tamil Nadu, every nook and corner knows Owaisi. It’s not only Muslims. My driver told me, Owaisi is as popular as Rajinikanth. They’re not only for the minorities. That is why this alliance was formed. It’s not a political alliance. It is a natural alliance formed on values.”TTV Dhinakaran, AMMK Chief
Manifesto Assures Job for Every Household
The AMMK-led alliance also released their manifesto, promising a corruption-free Tamil Nadu. They assured the introduction of an “Amma Economic Revolution Scheme” that will provide jobs for one person in every household and start various pro-industry initiatives. It will also provide healthcare facilities for the poor, incentives for farmers, subsidy of Rs 100 for one LPG cylinder a month and facilitate river interlinking.
Key Takeaways:
- Phased prohibition of liquor: New distilleries or breweries will not be permitted.
- Reduce taxes on fuel till it is brought under GST.
- Enact law to the effect that 85% of government jobs will be reserved for the people of the state.
- LPG subsidy of Rs 100 per month for poor and middle-class families.
- Women and youth self-help groups will be provided interest-free loans of up to Rs 1 lakh.
- Reservation in government jobs for students who have studied in government schools.
- Steps will be taken to raise the reservation for Muslims in Tamil Nadu by 5%.
- Assistance of Rs 10,000 for girl children from poor families in rural areas to aid in higher education.
- Rs 50,000 to be deposited in fixed deposit accounts of children from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, which can be utilised for education and marriage after they turn 18.
- A legislative council will be created in Tamil Nadu.
AIMIM will be contesting from Vaniyambadi, Krishnagiri and Sankarapuram.
The AMMK has released two lists of candidates, which include names of AIADMK legislators who had sided with Dhinakaran in 2018 and were disqualified. Former state ministers P Palaniappan, G Senthamizhan, and C Shanmugavelu will contest from Pappireddipatti, Saidapet and Madathukulam respectively.
Dhinakaran will contest the election from Kovilpatti constituency in Thoothukudi district, contesting directly with state information minister Kadambur Raju.
Dhinakaran made history in 2019 when he, as an independent candidate, was elected from Dr Radhakrishnan (RK) Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai that fell vacant after Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016.
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