CPM decision, final blow for PWF

CPM state secretary G Ramakrishnan wrote the elegy for the ‘alternative front’ when he announced party north Chennai district executive committee member R Loganathan as the candidate for R K Nagar and made a reluctant appeal to estranged friends CPI and VCK to back his party nominee.

In a veiled admission that the PWF experiment has failed in the state, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, emerging out of his party’s state committee meeting, confirmed the split by saying, “It is CPM’s decision. We have decided not to contest the election taking in to account the national political scenario and the imminent threats faced by the people.” Not content with the justification, Mutharasan added that they would consult the VCK and announce their decision on Sunday, ruling out any rapprochement with the Marxist comrades. 

On his part, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan said there would not be any electoral alliance with the PWF henceforth, (without mentioning who he meant by PWF) and they would come together for social issues only. 

Thiruma vindicated CPI’s fear by explaining that the decision made for RK Nagar by-election would apply to future polls, mainly the 2019 Lok Sabha election, a suggestion that it was not a mere rift in a failed PWF, but a realignment for future. 

Senior CPI leaders confided to DTNext that they were likely to support the DMK in RK Nagar, an inkling of which was conspicuous in the state ment of Mutharasan, who subtly drew a distinction between the invitation of support from Stalin and TTV Dinakaran to drive home the point that they were gravitating towards the DMK. 

Notably, the VCK seems not so keen as CPI is, in supporting the DMK. The Dalit party has not taken well to Stalin’s mere mention of the Left parties in his public appeal to PWF to back the DMK candidate. 

Pertinently, a few sources even said the ruling AIADMK leadership has established contacts with the VCK, which seems to be dilly-dallying between siding with an unpopular faction of AIADMK and a belliger

ent principal Opposition DMK. 

If the VCK and CPI fail to reach a consensus soon, political analysts said the PWF would be reduced to an antique that would tell the tale of a failed political experiment of forming a formidable alternative to the Dravidian majors in Tamil Nadu. 

The caution of erstwhile PWF coordinator Vaiko of MDMK to voters even as early as April 2016, ahead of the Assembly election, has come true now. He had said “If people let down PWF now, there would not be any such alternative political formation in the near future.” 

Thirumavalavan expressed interest to participate in DMK’s all party meeting to discuss Cauvery issue. He abstained from the meeting following CPM’s insistence.

Ties soured again when VCK had supported V Narayanasamy in Nellithoppu by poll despite the CPM wanting to field its own candidate.   

Vaiko rubbed salt on the wounds of PWF when he admired PM Narendra Modi’s demonetisation, which was opposed tooth and nail by others.

October 2015: The two Left parties along with VCK floated People’s Welfare Front. 

March 2016: Vijakanth’s DMDK joined PWF; walks away with lion’s share of seats for 2016 Assembly poll. 

April 2016: Vasan’s TMC joined PWF, which doubled from three to six-party alliance called DMDK-PWF alliance. 

May 2016: The alliance drew a blank in the Assembly elections. It’s chief ministerial candidate Vijayakanth even forfeited his deposit. 

June 2016: Vasan’s TMC walked out of the PWF alliance.

September 2016: A month ahead of the local body polls (deferred later) DMDK snapped its ties. 

December 2016: Coordinator  of the PWF alliance Vaiko ‘ditches’ PWF. 

March 18, 2016: Disagreement over contesting RK Nagar ends the year-and-a-half long