Dalit base fragmented

By Radha Venkatesan

CHENNAI, OCT. 13. If the Assembly elections four months ago saw an unprecedented consolidation of Dalits in several pockets in the State, the panchayat elections appear to have fragmented their base.

The Dalits are aggressively conscious of their identity, and more acutely aware of the ``perks of political power''. So, in several panchayats and panchayat unions, an unusually high number of SC candidates are pitted against one another in a fierce battle for various posts.

In the Assembly polls, a majority of the Dalits might have rallied behind the DPI in the northern belt and the Puthiya Tamizhagam in the southern districts. But this time, party allegiance does not matter. And, they would not ``blindly'' back the candidates sponsored by the Dalit parties.

``In general elections, we will back Puthiya Tamizhagam. But this is a local election, and we will not vote on party basis'', asserts 50-year-old Sudali in the Manur panchayat union in Tirunelveli district.

And, with the PT and the DPI, which are in different camps now, a semblance of unity, seen between Parayars and Pallars in the May Assembly poll in the southern districts, is perceptibly absent.

The consolidation of Pallars too-the dominant Dalit group in the southern districts where the PT has a strong presence-has taken a beating as the civic elections have brought to the fore the divide among the sub-sects-``Amma Pallars'', ``Aathaa Pallars'' and ``Angya Pallars''.

In several villages, the Pallars are vying with one another to wrest the various posts to assert their ``sub-caste identity''.

The PT too is not focussing on the rural bodies and has left most of the town panchayat and panchayat union seats to the Congress. Surprisingly, even in Ottapidaram, where the PT leader, Dr. K. Krishnasamy, lost narrowly in the May Assembly polls, the party has decided to back a Thevar for Kayathar town panchayat chairman.

In sharp contrast, the DPI, which quit the DMK alliance to fight the election on its own, has fielded candidates for almost all wards in the panchayat unions and district panchayats. But, even the DPI supporters, in several places would not back the party candidates. For, they themselves want to participate in the elections.

For instance, at Pattampakkam near Panrutti in Cuddalore district, in all three panchayat union wards, as many as 20 Dalits are in the fray, though the DPI too has fielded candidates there. And, in neighbouring Keezhkavarapatti with a little over 500 voters, 14 Dalits are fighting for panchayat president.

The DPI local leaders are making desperate appeals to the Dalit candidates to pull out of the race in favour of the party nominee, but they are on an ``assertive mode''. ``There is no unity among the Dalits'', rue DPI functionaries.

But, the Dalits feel that the panchayat election is time for their ``empowerment'' and not unity of their community. And, even the Dalit parties too have to take a backseat in Dalit colonies in the local bodies elections.

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