VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan has rejected criticism that his party’s decision to field his sister’s daughter amounts to dynastic politics. He said a capable person should not be denied an opportunity merely because of family relationship.
In an interview to an English daily, Thirumavalavan said he is 63 and believes he can remain active in politics for another 15 years. He added that he initially wanted to contest elections with the aim of working more actively in the Assembly.
He said he did not consult senior leaders before announcing his intention to contest, but later Dalit leaders from northern states spoke to him and expressed concern that Parliament could lose an independent national Dalit voice. Senior leaders in his party echoed the same view, he said, and he therefore withdrew from the contest, calling it a strategic move rather than a political mistake.
Responding to opposition claims that he sought a Deputy Chief Minister or ministerial post, he said such negative criticism affected him and he did not want it to impact the alliance. He also said his decision to withdraw had no connection with the DMK.
On the candidate choice, he said the move was not about succession politics. He noted that Malathi’s husband Thirukumaran has worked for the party for a long time, and argued that it would be wrong to dismiss ability simply because of family ties.
