Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections | A campaign rooted in Dravidian ethos

Ezhilan Naganathan, the DMK candidate for the Thousand Lights constituency, is specializing in door-to-door conferences with voters, discussing civic points, in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols, forward of the essential contest with the principle rival — Khushbu of the BJP. In an interview, Dr. Ezhilan says the voters in the State will help secularism and reject the insurance policies of the Central authorities.

What are the important thing facets of your campaign in Thousand Lights?

My technique is to fulfill no less than two lakh voters. I’m doing door-to-door conferences with members of all socio-economic strata. I’m able to perceive the socio- financial situations of the folks and talk about civic points with them.

I’ve framed a ward-wise manifesto for the constituency, figuring out points attributable to the absence of individuals’s representatives in native our bodies.

You have been criticised on social media to your views in your get together’s ideology. What sort of reception do you get from residents whereas expressing related views throughout the campaign?

The Thousand Lights constituency has an excellent platform of secularism. All residents are collectively, regardless of caste or faith. Whenever you vouch for a humanitarian method and secular credentials, that are principally the Dravidian ethos and the final word objective is humanism, I don’t see any hassle or disturbance in the constituency in any respect. If we do folks’s work, it’s equal to any non secular work.

Has your participation in electoral politics affected your combat in the entrance line towards COVID-19?

Since the beginning of the epidemic, I’ve handled over 2,000 sufferers. I’ve understood that the COVID-19 administration on the group degree is a special method, specializing in norms resembling mask-wearing. This campaign has offered me with a chance to mix my medical data with varied socio-economic facets of COVID-19 administration.

What are the most important civic points residents have reported in the seven wards of your constituency?

Residents have demanded playgrounds and group halls in every ward. They want higher faculty infrastructure for the poor. Provision of correct consuming water, an entire revamp of drainage pipes must be carried out, and rubbish clearance is insufficient, resulting in public well being issues.

Water stagnation throughout the northeast monsoon is a problem. Public well being issues, together with dengue, malaria and diarrhoea, have been reported.

Many merchants and entrepreneurs have misplaced their supply of livelihood throughout the pandemic. Residents need redevelopment of slum tenements at 16 places, as an alternative of resettlement distant from town.

How do you view a direct contest with the BJP in your constituency?

The Dravidian ethos could be very robust in this State. The BJP can not stick with it with the identical agenda of making non secular polarisation, propaganda and creating Islamophobia in the constituency and the State.

Tamil Nadu is thought for its secular values. We are at all times collectively. It shouldn’t be simple to drive a wedge between communities in our State. Tamil Nadu individuals are clever and perceive the designs of the BJP. People have understood that now we have suffered due to the insurance policies of the Centre, together with NEET.

Your social media posts in the previous few days have centered on the educational in politics from Gopalapuram, the contribution of your grandparents to the independence motion and your proximity to former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. How have these facets helped you contribute to electoral politics?

My great-grandfather, grandfather and grandmother spent 27 years, collectively, in jail throughout the independence wrestle. Having been born and introduced up in such a household, I used to be curious sufficient to take some very important reminiscences from many nice individuals about Tamil ethnicity, social justice and federalism. Kalaignar [M. Karunanidhi] was capable of educate me in all spheres.

Thanks to our chief M.K. Stalin, this can be a fantastic alternative to serve the folks.