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The Rediff Interview/ TNCC president E V K S Elangovan

With the Tamil Nadu assembly elections less than a month away, the political scenario is filled with electoral alliances. There are just three possibilities -- the ruling DMK, the Jayalalitha-led AIADMK and, if these two don't appeal, a Third Front that is yet to take off. Even as seats are being shared and dotted lines signed on, some of the contesting parties continue to be in a state of flux about their alliance for this election.

Jayalalitha has, as usual, added an element of peppery uncertainty to the scenario by tying up with the PMK -- a party known for its vociferous support of the LTTE and, hence, anathema to the Congress . The Congress, which had earlier foreseen an alliance with the Moopanar-led TMC and the AIADMK, now finds itself in a particularly embarrassing position; press reports indicate Jayalalitha has offered the Congress, a national party, five seats as opposed to the 35 she has offered the regional TMC.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the TNCC president E V K S Elangovan and Jayalalitha do not share a 'cordial' relationship. In fact, a wordy war has ensued between the two ever since Elangovan became the party's regional president. The AIADMK-PMK alliance has only worsened the situation.

Elangovan has been trying hard to convince Moopanar -- the TMC and the Congress have agreed to face the assembly elections together -- to start a Third Front. This is not really a viable option, since the electoral chances of a Third Front in Tamil Nadu are considered dim. Moopanar, a shrewd politician, has chosen to remain silent on the issue.

If New Delhi decides to join the AIADMK front, it will be a humiliating letdown for the state unit, which will be forced to ally with a pro-LTTE party. It will also have to give up the Pondicherry chief ministership. In fact, as of now, the Congress faces a lose-lose scenario only.

It was against this backdrop that Shobha Warrier grilled Tamil Nadu's tense Congress president, Elangovan.

The AIADMK did not consult you when it decided to tie up with a pro-LTTE party like the PMK. Soon after, it was reported that Jayalalitha was willing to give you only five seats. Is this kind of treatment not humiliating for a national party like the Congress?

Yes, we feel a bit offended by all this and, of course, it has created some problems for us. The high command is discussing these matters and will come up with a decision soon. I hope the high command will take a correct decision.

When you met Sonia Gandhi recently, what did you tell her?

I have conveyed the feelings of the party workers in Tamil Nadu.

Are they comfortable with the AIADMK, now that the PMK is part of the front?

The Congress workers are not at all comfortable with this situation. Another issue that bothers us is the chief ministership in Pondicherry. We have our own government in Pondicherry. Our leader there is the chief minister and we would definitely want that to continue. I told the high command that all these irritants have to be cleared first. She said she would discuss all these things with the AIADMK and take a decision.

It has been nearly a month since the PMK joined the AIADMK front, but your high command is still to take a decision.

What is the need to hurry? We still have two months before the assembly elections.

But it is obvious from the way Jayalalitha is behaving that she is not interested in an alliance with the Congress.

I have not heard anything officially from the AIADMK. Yes, the newspapers are carrying so many stories. But I can comment on the AIADMK's behaviour only when something comes officially from them.

These days, political parties only talk of numbers and seats and power. For example, the TMC was born because the Congress allied with the AIADMK and, now, they themselves are joining the AIADMK front.

You have to ask the TMC that.

I am not talking about the TMC alone. Parties are switching loyalties without batting an eyelid. Are there no principles left in Indian politics?

It is a good question and I understand your concern. I personally feel some principles and policies should be followed in politics. You just can't abandon principles for a few seats. All these things will be considered by our party leaders when they take a decision.

The fact that the PMK has entered the alliance is a very sensitive issue because it has been a constant supporter of the LTTE. They even went to the extent of justifying Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. We have conveyed all these things to the high command.

If the high command decides to go with the AIADMK, what will you do? What about your principles? You said you would abide by the high command's decision.

I am sure the party high command will take all these things into consideration before taking a decision.

You said it was not the number of seats but the presence of the PMK and the issue of the chief minister's post in Pondicherry that bothered you. Just five seats for a national party! Does this offer not bother you at all?

The AIADMK has not officially said it is giving us only five seats, or less than 10 seats. This has only been reported in the press. I cannot comment on this unless something comes out officially.

You mean there is no truth in the reports? Everybody knows that Jayalalitha offered 35 seats to the TMC and asked them to give five seats to you. The TMC, a regional party, gets 35 seats and the Congress, a national party which once ruled Tamil Nadu, gets peanuts. Does it not show that Jayalalitha does not care for the Congress?

I can't give a direct answer to your question. I am sure the high command knows all this. I am sure it knows the sentiments and emotions of the party workers.

Is your party high command consulting the TMC leaders only? What about the TNCC president?

We have decided to face the assembly elections with the TMC. Since Moopanar is the senior-most leader, I don't see anything wrong in negotiating through him. Personally, I have no problems with this. I am not humiliated at all. All I want is that a good decision should be taken, that's all!

You had been a supporter of a Third Front.

I had not always wanted a Third Front. I want to revive the Congress in Tamil Nadu because I am 100 per cent sure our leader, Sonia Gandhi, is more popular than any other leader in Tamil Nadu. I want to utilise her name and popularity and revive the Congress here. That is my aim. Like I told you earlier, I will abide by the high command's decision, whatever it may be.

Will there be a Third Front in Tamil Nadu?

Everything is possible in politics. Like Moopanar said, there is place for a Third Front and also a Fourth Front.

The two Dravidian parties are quite strong here. In the Lok Sabha elections, the Third Front fared very badly. What are its chances now?

Let the Third Front first be formed, then I will tell you. As things stand, we are in the AIADMK alliance, but we have not taken a final decision on it yet. I can comment on the prospects of a Third Front only after it is formed.

Is there any chance of the Congress joining the DMK front?

How can you expect the Congress to join the DMK front as long as the BJP is there?

You joined hands with the Communist parties at the Centre and fought against them in Kerala and West Bengal...

Let the DMK first sack the BJP from their alliance, then we will think about it.

Do you feel public memory is very short? Will they will forget what has happened in the past -- the misrule, corruption, etc?

The public is very smart and it has become cleverer now. You just can't fool them like you used to in the past! I am confident that people will take a correct decision. You just can't fool the public anymore!

Design: Lynette Menezes

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The Rediff Interviews