Chennai, Mar 07: Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) general secretary R Thirumavalavan today said the 'People's Alliance,' which his party had formed along with other Dalit parties Puthiya Thamizhagam and Makkal Thamil Desam, will announce its candidates as well as the number of constituencies to be contested on March 11 for the coming Lok Sabha polls. At a press conference here, he said contrary to the rumours doing the rounds, he would seek election to Parliament from Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency.

He said that a new DPI candidate would contest the byelection from the Mangalur (reserved) assembly constituency. Thirumavalavan, it may be recalled, had resigned as the MLA from this constituency following the refusal of the DMK, to accommodate the two Dalit parties in the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance for the elections.

While the constituents of the People's Alliance would be releasing separate manifestos, the DPI would focus on the development of Dalits and other oppressed classes in the manifesto and reservation for Muslim community, he added.

Thirumavalavan alleged that the state government had been attempting to stall the party's state-level conference at Salem by not granting permission citing the Chief Minister's campaign programme.

He said that the party had now decided to hold the conference on March 21 irrespective of whether the police granted permission. ''Our partymen will court arrest going ahead with the conference,'' he added.

Defence Minister and NDA convener George Fernandes and Indian Muslim League's Ibrahim Suleiman Seth would attend the conference, he informed.
Thirumavalavan also urged for banning Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's 'Bharat Uday' rath yatra on March 10 from Kanniyakumari.

Bureau Report