Even in hung Parliament, we will thwart all BJP efforts to form government: Stalin

After taking over the reins from his late father M Karunanidhi, MK Stalin is leading DMK for the first time in

Lok Sabha polls

. He talks to B Sivakumar about the

Modi government

, backing Rahul Gandhi and missing his father’s guidance


As the campaign comes to a close, how do you rate the prospects of your front?
There is visible anger against the Modi and AIADMK governments. People are prepared to vote for the Secular Progressive Front led by DMK. We will win all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

In case of a

hung Parliament

, will DMK support BJP with or without Modi at the helm?
Regional parties will play a bigger role in this election. People across all states are keen on unseating Modi because they have suffered at the hands of the central government. If there is a hung Parliament, we will thwart all efforts of BJP to form the government. We will form a secular government.

What would be DMK's stand if the 'Third Front' emerges as the deciding factor with SP, BSP, TRS and YSRC playing a major role?
Our goal is to defeat the fascist BJP government and form a government headed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. In case of a hung Parliament, we will take a call after consulting Congress, Left and other parties.

As 22 assembly segments are facing bypolls, are you confident of toppling the state government?
After Jayalalithaa's death, people have been asking us why we have not brought this government down. We want to do it only through a democratic process. Byelection to 22 seats gives us a chance to topple this government. We will fulfil people's wish in a democratic manner.

If DMK gets enough numbers with the support of the allies, will you form the government or seek dissolution of the assembly?
We will take a decision after consulting alliance partners. We will carry out people's wish. Wait and see.

On what basis have you been claiming during the campaign that the present AIADMK government will fall?
Edappadi's is a minority government. It remains in office only because of the Centre's support, violating all constitutional norms. These elections will bring about a change both at the Centre as well as in the state.

In the campaign, do you miss your father?
I really miss him. I have seen him more as a leader than as father. People and party cadres miss his magnetic, gruff voice, in which he used to address them as 'udanpirappe' (my brothers and sisters) for the past 60 years. We follow his teachings and the path shown by him. I learned everything about politics from him. I follow his footsteps. Had he been alive today, he would have guided us.

DMK has promised several loan waivers in the manifesto. If Congress forms the government at the Centre, given the precarious financial condition, do you think they can be implemented?
It is definitely possible. When DMK formed the government in 2006, the previous AIADMK government had left the treasury empty. But after swearing in, the first thing that then-CM M Karunanidhi did was to waive Rs 7,000 crore in agriculture loans. There were criticisms that it would burden the state's finance. But by attracting investors to the state, pushing industrial growth and securing help from the Centre, we lowered the deficit. In the last five years, the Centre's policies helped only very few companies owned by Adani, Ambani and Amit Shah's son. People were affected by demonetisation and other wrong policies of the Centre. We will have better policies to solve the financial problems. We will implement all promises made in the manifesto.

How do you rate TTV Dhinakaran and his party AMMK?
In a democracy, new parties emerge and some disappear. What is being seen now is a fight among partners. It is a fight between those who have power and those who lost it. On May 23, we will know how people view it.

Your son Udayanidhi has been a star campaigner in this election? Will he be given any formal post in the party?
I thank the media for showering him with love.