BJP to observe Thevar leader's anniversary: L Ganesan

Chennai, Oct 26 (UNI) Trying to find its foothold in the state's electoral politics following the severe drubbbing in the assembly polls in May last, the BJP today said it would observe the birth and the death anniversary of freedom fighter and prominent 'Thevar' caste leader Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on October 30.

The focus on Muthuramalinga Thevar Jayanthi this year, which can be interpreted politically as the BJP trying to emulate the tactics of the two Dravidian parties, the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, was announced by Tamil Nadu unit President L Ganesan at a press conference here.

Mr Ganesan, the party's former national secretary, said some of the prominent leaders of the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP including former President Pon Radhakrishnan, S Thirunavukkarasu and H Raja,and himself, would pay respects to Muthuramalinga Thevar at the 'Thevar' leader's memorial near Pasumpon in Theni district.

The party would also organise programmes to celebrate the 'Jayanthi', he added.

'Thevars' it may be noted form a prominent vote bank in the state's electoral politics.

Mr Ganesan also announced that henceforth, the BJP would also observe the Formation Day of Tamil Nadu on November 1. This is being observed in a spirit of patriotism in many other states in the country, he pointed out.

Condemning the widespread rigging and violence in the recent elections to local bodies, especially in the city Corporation, Mr Ganesan who blamed the ruling DMK of perpetrating it and winning the polls, also alleged that the city police had turned down permission for the BJP to hold protest demonstrations on October 19.

This does not augur well for the future, he said and added the denial of permission was tantamount to stifling a democratic right and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi must take note of this.

Mr Ganesan alleged that the BJP was of the view that the DMK led DPA's victory in the civic polls was through dubious means.

Assessing the BJP's own performance in the civic polls, Mr Ganesan pointed out that ''14 per cent of the party's candidates had emerged victorious. The percentage of votes polled by the party was also more this time compared to the 1996 civic polls when it contested on its own, he claimed, adding in the last elections, the BJP had contested in an alliance.

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