News Dated : Times of India,22 Jun 2008
Its Very Old News,But Obama Has Won Now. Our Captain Will Also Prove..
CHENNAI: US presidential hopeful Barack Obama is inspirational not only to his
fellow democrats but also to wannabe chief ministers in Tamil
Nadu.
Actor-politician Vijayakanth, who seeks to bring about a change in state politics from the alternating rule of the DMK and AIADMK, draws a parallel to Obama's march towards the White House to that of his ambitious journey towards Fort St George, the seat of the state government.
"The whites and blacks were at loggerheads for ages. But Obama is going to create history by becoming America's first black President. Isn't that a remarkable change? Likewise, I will also bring about a change in the state. What's needed today is change and it will definitely happen," said Vijayakanth in an interview to The Times of India.
With Tamil Nadu's political scene hotting up in the wake of the PMK's exit from the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, actor-politician Vijayakanth may grab more political attention as elections draw near.
Even as rumours are agog that both the DMK and the AIADMK camps are wooing him ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,
'Captain,' as he is fondly called by his fans and partymen, chooses to keep his cards close to the chest.
Vijayakanth, founder-president of the three-year-old Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), exuded confidence that his party would win three to five Lok Sabha seats on its own.
At the same time, he also gave an indication that he was not averse to an electoral tie-up, possibly with the Congress. While a senior Congress leader conceded that the groundwork for an alliance with the DMDK was already prepared and it would align with the Congress 99 %, Vijayakanth's replies showed that he was in no hurry with such alliance plans.
"As of now, I want to contest the elections alone. Unlike in the 2006 Assembly elections, we are adopting a strategy for the Lok Sabha polls by identifying winnable seats and working hard to strengthen our base in those constituencies. I am confident of winning three to five seats on our own. Winning even two Lok Sabha seats will fetch recognition to my party from the Election Commission," he said.
Asked whether he would categorically rule out an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, he said he had all along been maintaining the stand that he would contest alone.
"This is my stand now. It may change another day," he said. Not denying that he was being sent feelers by various parties including the AIADMK, he said, "I am the bridegroom and I should say whether I like the bride or not." Vijayakanth, who recently opened a party office in New Delhi and called on CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and Congress leader Sheila Dixit, said those were only courtesy calls and he had no ambition to play a role in national politics.
"My target is only the next Assembly election, whether it comes in 2011 or next year. People ridicule me when I say I will become the next chief minister, but every one has a right to make such claims," he said. He also ruled out aligning with his film colleagues, Sarath Kumar and Karthik, who have also launched political outfits of their own.
Turning to his film career, the Tamil film industry's angry young man in the early 80s walked down memory lane, recalling his struggle as an up and coming artiste in the initial days.
The discrimination and step-motherly treatment meted out to 24-year-old Vijayaraj (his original name), who came to Kollywood from Madurai with a dream of making it big in the industry, only strengthened his resolve to achieve his goal.
"I used to sit at a roadside laundry on Dhandapani Street in T Nagar and watch the rich and famous from the film industry passing by," the actor, who had acted in more than 150 films, reminisced. He said he had to struggle in the early days, as many did not want to act with him, and big banner film-makers did not come forward to do films with him.
"There was discrimination even in the food served to us. While heroes and heroines were treated to sumptuous food and fruit juices, we were served only sambar rice or curd rice in packets and tea. The rage that was seething inside made me resolve that I would start my own production company one day and treat everyone alike — from the light boy to the hero. Today, all those working in my company get the same food," he said.
As a hardcore MGR fan, Vijayakanth rued that he never had an opportunity to meet his idol except on a single occasion at a marriage function. "As I was very passionate about Tamil and got to meet Kalaignar (DMK president M Karunanidhi) quite often, I was seen as pro-Kalaignar." However, he was able to win the affection of MGR's wife, Janaki, who gifted him the campaign van used by the late charismatic leader.
Vijayakanth still continues his association with MGR by donating Rs 50,000 every year on his birthday to the school for the speech and hearing impaired functioning in Ramavaram garden.
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