People’s candidate Wilson, contesting from the Vilavangode constituency in Kanyakumari district of TamilNadu, received overwhelming support from various people’s and workers’ organizations such as Communist Ghadar Party of India, Makkalatchi Iyakkam, Progressive Women’s organization, HNES, Unorganized workers Federation, NAPM, Kattida Thozhilalar Panchayat Sangam, Pennurimai Iyakkam, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, and others.
Thiru. Raghavan, President of Makkalatchi Iyakkam vigorously participated in the election campaign of Wilson, along with other activists of MI. He spoke in various meetings in support of the candidate. His presence and participation was a big boost to all the activists who were mobilizing support for their candidate Wilson.
Raghavan in his forceful and thoughtful speeches, pointed out that Wilson is people’s candidate put forward by the people’s committees of various places in Vilavangcode constituency, unlike other political parties where candidates are decided by their party bosses based on candidate’s spending capacity for the elections, muscle power, and past records in carrying out successful criminal acts. He also mentioned that this method of people belonging to a constituency selecting and electing their candidates is gaining ground throughout the country. Makkalatchi Iyakkam has been advocating that candidates must be selected only by the people’s organizations such as Trade Unions, Youth and women’s organizations, people’s forums, and others of the constituencies, he said.
He also pointed out how the election process is heavily in favour of the "recognized" political parties who play direct role at the beck and call of the rich industrial houses. Our election Commission which pretends to be defending democracy and preventing money and muscle power playing a role has legally permitted a limit of Rs 16 Lakhs as the candidate’s election expenses for Legislative Assembly elections! But we all know that candidates of the major political parties spend money to the order of 100 times the limit set by election commission. Besides currently there is no limit set on the amount the Party can spend for the elections on behalf of the candidate! On top of this, election commission is making a show that they are ‘preventing’ over spending and misuse and ‘apprehending’ them. What kind of democracy is this where Election commission officially permits a candidate to spend 16 Lakh Rupees, and people’s candidate like Wilson do not have even 100 Rupees in his pocket to spend, but who want to serve the people? Election commission is very clearly saying that only big money bags, those funded by monopoly business houses and black money hoarders can participate in this democracy! In this context the President of Makkalatchi Iyakkam demanded that only candidates selected by the people must be permitted to stand in elections, and all such candidates must be enabled by Election Commission to put forth their platform and program before all the people of the constituency equally. They must not spend any money of their own, or of the organization that selected them, but the entire election campaign must be funded by the state.
Wilson on his own initiative produced an affidavit in stamped paper stating that he will serve the interests of the people of his constituency and after electing him if the collectives in the constituency felt that he has not fulfilled this purpose, he can be recalled by the electors. The President of Makkalatchi Iyakkam greatly welcomed this initiative and called it as a very important step towards setting up controls over elected representatives. Makkalatchi Iyakkam has been fighting for right to recall of the elected representatives. This is also related to defining process for the elected representatives to giving periodic accounts to the members who have elected them and be accountable to them.
Raghavan pointed out that today’s political process has been serving only a handful of monopoly industrial houses to place their preferred parties and ministers in positions of power in the name of democracy and elections. Entire government machinery such as Election Commission, police, judiciary and the executive support and defend these elements in their own interests. This explains why this ‘democracy’ has not served the vast majority of people even after 60 years, he said. He also announced the plans of Makkalatchi Iyakkam to hold consultative conferences of all interested organizations and people all over India on the way forward to ensure people’s control over Political system, process and institutions.
He called on the people to vote for people’s candidate Wilson, who has been demanding a new political process for people to exercise their rights. He was very confident that voters of Vilavangcode constituency will be trend setters by electing Wilson and demanding major electoral reforms in favour of people.
Leader of the Unorganised Workers Federation, S mt Geeta, also participated in the campaign and urged voters to vote for Wilson.
