No more unity in diversity in People’s Welfare Front

Though there had been minor irritants among the partners right since the inception of the alliance, after the debacle in Assembly polls the differences deepened and the latest one was the VCK not inviting the MDMK to its anti-demonetisation conference in Puducherry. So for those who had been following the front, the MDMK’s exit was no big surprise. 

PWF has mostly been a “team of divergent policy holders” and MDMK’s exit was the inevitable that had happened a little longer than expected. Since day one, the four parties were not on the same page on several issues and particularly Vaiko. He had embarrassed his partners more often than they would have expected by making spontaneous statements. 

Whether it was during the weeks before DMDK was roped in or calling Vijayakant’s projection as CM candidate a wrong choice after defeat, Vaiko’s statements were uncomfortably stomached by the Left leaders and Thirumavalavan. 

The Left and VCK showed restraint every time, when Vaiko expressed differing views on crucial issues. VCK even abstained from an ‘all-party’ meeting on Cauvery row called by the DMK following stiff opposition from MDMK.  

The PWF partners even agreed not to enter the fray in the Tiruparankundram bypoll and elections to the two seats of Thanjavur and Aravakurichi recently as Vaiko unilaterally announced the boycott. The simmering discontent between Vaiko and others worsened as soon as the VCK had declared and extended its support to Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy in the Nellithope by-poll, which both the Left and MDMK had opposed (Left wanted to contest and MDMK proposed boycott). 

Just when people thought they had weathered the storm, in came the demonetisation issue and Vaiko’s broadside against the DMK during Jayalalithaa’s death. In exiting on his own, Vaiko may have only spared further embarrassment for his erstwhile alliance partners. 

Thirumavalavan, who agreed that Vaiko’s exit decision could not have been triggered by one issue (demonetisation), reluctantly admitted that, “Of late the four parties did not agree on some issues. In DMK all-party meet issue, we did not participate and it was nullified. Likewise, in Puducherry by-poll issue, each one had a different view and there was no reason for MDMK to be disappointed.” 

“In the case of demonetisation, when the most of the country was opposing, he (Vaiko) supported it. That led to an immediate and strong conflict among the partners,” the Dalit leader remarked.