http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Coalitions-of-caste/766403/Tamil Nadu polls: Coalitions of caste
Gopu Mohan Posted: Mar 24, 2011 at 0249 hrs
Chennai Ahead of the polls in Tamil Nadu, a number of outfits —
established, nascent and unknown — have emerged from the shadows with
a claim to transfer their captive, caste-based votes for respect,
recognition and other benefits.
The power of this transferable vote share has been exhibited best by
the Pattali Makkal Katchi, a party of the numerically strong most
backward class (MBC) Vanniyar community and founded by Dr S Ramadoss.
They comprise nearly 30 per cent of the population. The community has
leaders in all parties, yet the poor among its members remain so.
The social outfit Vanniyar Sangam was born in 1980, and from it the
PMK was formed nine years later. Though its vote share has remained
single digit, the party has two advantages: its votes are considered
transferable en bloc, and its votes are concentrated, in the north.
Also dominant in these districts is the Dalit party Viduthalai
Chiruthaigal Katchi, led by Thol Thirumavalavan, MP. The party,
earlier known as Dalit Panthers of India, has considerable influence
among the Paraya sub-sect of Dalits, and was involved in a series of
communal clashes with the Vanniyars. Now that both are in the DMK-led
alliance, their leaders have made the right noises about working
towards the same goal.
The PMK is contesting from 30 seats and the VCK from 10. In the west,
known as Kongu region, which the DMK has failed to conquer yet, it has
brought in the Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam, a new party formed by the
influential Gounders. Stitched together as a political outfit merely
months ahead of the general elections, the KMK still garnered 5.79
lakh votes from 12 constituencies. The DMK has allocated it seven
seats, getting in return the support of a community that forms about
40 per cent of the region's population.
To gain the support of the Thevars, a dominant community in the south,
the ruling front has Muvendar Munnetra Kazhagam, conceding one
Assembly seat that will be contested on the DMK symbol.
Most of the DMK's partnerships have been countered with equal and
opposite moves by the lead opposition party, the AIADMK.
The Thevars have largely sided with the AIADMK since the period of
party founder M G Ramachandran, an allegiance that was cemented after
present general secretary J Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala, a
member of the community, became a decision-making figure in the party.
Besides this, the front has the All India Muvendar Munnani Kazhagam, a
Thevar party that has been allotted one seat. A splinter group of the
MMK has also sided with her, while yet another Thevar organisation,
Pasumpon Desiya Kazhagam, has extended support.
The All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) floated by
actor-politician Sarathkumar got two seats from the AIADMK as it has
the backing of the Nadar community. Soon after the deal was signed in
the opposition camp, the DMK president allotted one seat (on a DMK
ticket) to the little known Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi which claims
support of the same community.
Perunthalaivar is a sobriquet of legendary late Congress leader K
Kamaraj — the national party still enjoys support from the Nadars.
After the PMK changed its alliance for yet another time — following
the Lok Sabha disaster where it won none of the seven seats it
contested along with the AIADMK — a rival group, Vanniyar Federation,
moved closer to Jaya's party.
Incidentally, minister of state S Jagathrakshakan merged his
Jananayaga Munnetra Kazhagam with the DMK before the general election,
a move that helped him return to Parliament. He defeated the PMK's R
Velu.
If the VCK can help bring in Dalit votes to the ruling front in the
north, the opposition front has Puthiya Thamizhagam, a party of
another sub-sect of Dalits, the Pallars who represent several votes in
the south. The party has been allotted two seats.
With only three weeks left for polling, Jaya has got the support of a
confederation of Dalit outfits which includes Parayar Peravai, Dr
Ambedkar Peravai, Ambedkar Makkal Padai, a faction of BSP, Adidravidar
Puratchi Kazhagam, Dalit Makkal Munnani among others.
Compared to its rival, the AIADMK is in a better position in the Kongu
region, which was evident from its lack of enthusiasm to rope in the
KMK. Instead, when the DMK struck a deal with the KML, Jaya's side
responded by giving the Tamil Nadu Ilaignar Kongu Peravai one seat.
A coalition of community-based organisations has been newly floated to
challenge the two fronts. On board are the Indian Jananayaka Katchi
launched by education entrepreneur T R Pachamuthu and backed by his
community; Bhargava Kula Vellalar; Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam
(TMMK) of Dalit leader John Pandian who converted his Devendrakula
Velalar Munettra Kazhagam into the party; Yadava Maha Sabha; Tamil
Nadu Vaaniyar Chettiyar Peravai; and newly-formed Samooga Samathuva
Padai founded by former bureaucrat and Dalit activist A Sivagami who
quit the BSP.
There are also caste-based organisations like Dalit outfit Puratchi
Bharatham and Muthiraiyar community-backed Singa Tamilar Munnetra
Kazhagam, not part of any front yet.
Among religious groups, the Indian Union Muslim League, a UPA partner,
has been allotted three seats; their intra-community opponent,
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi got a similar deal from AIADMK.
A new entrant is the Indian Christian People's Party (ICPP), launched
on Sunday by Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore A M Chinnappa. For the
record, there already exists an All India Christian Makkal Katchi.
Whether the tie-ups would help is anybody's guess. For instance, a
decade ago, Karunanidhi had cobbled up an alliance comprising 18
outfits, both political and casteist, but had to sit in Opposition as
the citizens preferred to vote against his government rather than in
favour of their community organisations.
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