On Monday the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary and People’s Welfare Front coordinator Vaiko has decided not to contest from the Kovilpatti Assembly Constituency. The Cadres of the MDMK and the DMDK-PWF combine were taken aback following the declaration of Vaiko.
Vaiko has made the decision just ahead of the time for filing of nomination before the Kovilpatti Sub Collector and Returning Officer, S. Kannabiran and instead of Mr. Vaiko the District youth wing secretary of the MDMK G. Ramesh has filed his nomination.
A group of people has claimed that Mr. Vaiko spoke ill of the Thevar community relating to the brutal killing of Dalit youth Sankar in Udumalpet and so Caste-based differences had been prevailing in Kovilpatti and 50 persons belonging to the Akila Indhiya Thevar Ina Makkal Kootamaippu has courted arrest in Kovilpatti after staging a protest against Mr. Vaiko.
Vaiko has alleged there was a plan which was to create violence between the “Thevar and Naicker communities” in the constituency. He said the violence would be centered on him and has remarked seen as an implied reference to his Naicker caste. Because of this he has realized that communal rage will ruin the future of Tamil Nadu, and so he has decided not to contest in the Assembly elections.
