Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) is pitching for a Dalit leader as to be nominated as the Chief Ministerial candidate for People's Welfare Alliance (PWA) and other parties in Tamil Nadu ahead of the assembly elections in 2016.
Talking to The News Minute, D Ravikumar, VCK general secretary said, "In Tamil Nadu, Dalit population is more than 20 percent, Tamil Nadu which is known for social justice should aspire for a Dalit chief minister. We are not only proposing our leader but also other parties to go for Dalit chief ministerial candidates. We aspire our leader to be the chief ministerial candidate."
Referring to the PWA alliance, however, he clarified that they were not pushing for a CM candidate at this stage, he said, "We don't want to push him as a chief ministerial candidate for PWA. It is not appropriate for our parliamentary democracy to announce the chief ministerial candidate."
Stating that naming VCK leader as chief ministerial candidate will only strengthen the alliance, he said, "Many states like Bihar have seen a Dalit chief minister then why not Tamil Nadu? The left parties are always known for supporting Dalits so it will only strengthen PWA."
There have been demands made earlier by members of MDMK to make Vaiko the CM candidate of the PWA, but Vaiko himself had refused to back such a demand.
Ahead of the elections, several leaders including DMDK's Vijayakanth and PMK's Anbumani Ramdoss are aspiring CM candidates.
