Jallikattu boys to fight bigwigs on Jaya turf
The Jallikattu boys are back —this time as politicians.
The popularity of the strictly apolitical nature of the uprising during Jallikattu protests, largely represented by the youth and the students cutting across caste and class barriers, gave ideas to some to channelise this energy into a potent political force and thus was born En Desam En Urimai Katchi (My Nation My Right Party).
The party was registered on February 25.
Just 20 days old, the party is now readying itself for the first electoral contest from prestigious constituency of RK Nagar — which was represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa — to take on the mighty TTV Dinakaran, Sasikala’s nephew and AIADMK deputy general secretary, AIADMK Presidium chairman E Madhusudanan (since expelled and now with OPS camp), Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakuamr and DMK candidate in M Ganesh, a local constituency level leader.
“We are elated that the RK Nagar voters are giving us love and support as the Jallikattu boys. Everyone in Tami Nadu had entertained an impression that the boys and girls in Jallikattu movement were doing good. So, when we began holding small meetings in the constituency, we got tremendous support. People are fed up of the two big parties,” Ebenezer John, a 30 year old businessman from Chennai, told HT. “We are rank outsiders, still fancy our chances,” he added.
At present, the party is selecting a candidate for RK Nagar seat to take on the biggies.
But it is not that simple to become a candidate of this party, which is somewhat inspired by the success of an Aam Admi Party that was also born out of an apolitical movement. “We will be transparent in everything we do,” said John.
For starters, the prospective candidates had to sit for a test and after that only 25 were shortlisted for an oral inquisition by a board comprising at least 10 members — retired bureaucrats, lawyers, judges, police officials, civic society members, social activists and film stars. There will be 10 questions asked from each candidate and they can get a maximum of 10 marks each for each answer.
This entire selection process will be held in the open, where voters of the constituency are invited to participate as viewers and can even pose questions. “It will be the people who will decide the candidate,” he said.