VCK will lead alliance in 2016: Thirumavalavan

Power sharing would be the next tangible step in letting Dalits taste political power, said Vidudhalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder Thol Thirumavalavan as he urged party office bearers to align their activities towards achieving this goal.
Addressing an in-camera meeting of the regional district executive committees here on Sunday night, Thirumavalan said the party’s, ‘Vision 2011’ did not translate into capturing power next year, but to make a significant jump towards the goal.
Even as he dropped ample hints that the party leadership was not prepared to make any offhand moves in the coming Assembly elections, he did not rule out an alliance in future. “To achieve the long-term goal of Dalit liberation through the attainment of political power, the party will lead an alternative alliance in the State in 2016. But not in the coming elections,” he said.
“Millenniums of oppression suffered by Dalits can be brought to an end only when they have their hands on the government machinery,” Thirumavalavan said. He slammed the ruling DMK for giving second-class treatment to Dalits and allowing the police to foist false cases against them.
He pointed out that winning political approval and the election commission’s recognition before the Assembly elections was the party’s top agenda. He said the VCK’s intensive membership drive in the last six months had seen an enrolment of 12 lakh members in 44 districts.
He clarified that the memberships were bonafide and each was approved only after the membership fee was paid. “This is an unprecedented feat in Dalit political history,” Thirumavalavan stressed.
The goal, he said, was to get 30 lakh new members and form at least 750 new camps in each district. “An increase in memberships and camps will arm us better at the alliance negotiating table at the time of seat allocation,” he justified. Although the Election Commission mandates the magical figure of seven MLAs for party recognition, he said the VCK would strive to win 15 seats, ensuring that they have a share in power.
He added that the party would align with all democratic forces and organisations representing regional, racial, ethnic, communal, religious and linguistic minorities. Henceforth, he said, the party would broaden its vision to absorb all democratic forces in the party, while asking partymen to enlist more people from outside the Dalit fold.