3-time TN Congress MLA Vijayadharani: 'I feel at home in BJP'

"When the Congress has failed to give opportunities to women and empower them at the party level, how will it involve them in governance?" asks S Vijayadharani, former Congress leader.

The three-time MLA from Vilavancode constituency in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district recently joined the BJP amid much fanfare. She is now expected to be fielded in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket.

Vijayadharani is the great-granddaughter of renowned Tamil poet and freedom fighter Kavimani Desiyavinayagam Pillai. She joined the Congress two decades ago and switched to the BJP alleging lack of opportunities for women in the party.

She spoke to The Federal on her move, electoral bonds and more.

I worked with the Congress party for several years from the grassroots. I won thrice from Vilavancode.

Once women grow to a level, the party should consider empowerment. Unless you recognise women in the party, what is the meaning of the empowerment you are promising? In the Congress party, they claim to empower women. But they fail to give opportunities.

When I won the floor leader election, they refused to make me the floor leader. Not once, it happened twice. The party also considered leadership positions for people from Hindi heartland. There is a total disregard for women and people from Tamil Nadu in the Congress.

I have joined a wonderful party. The cadres are encouraging. I'm happy travelling with them. I feel at home. The leaders are very good.

They have something good for me which will help me shine and also make me work for the people. They will take a call on that (Lok Sabha candidature) very shortly. Definitely I will be utilised, being a three-time MLA and very successful in elections.

Originally, electoral bonds were introduced by Arun Jaitely to bring in transparency and with good intentions. He thought political funding should be transparent and also be legal.

Whatever comes to the coffers of the political party from the companies is known to the Election Commission and Income-Tax Department. It's clean money. Political parties also need funding, they cannot operate on their own.

The electoral bonds might have been thought to be unconstitutional by judges now, but over a period, after necessary corrections, electoral bonds can come with 'proper shape'.

There's much mudslinging happening now. One party is pointing to the other. This phase will be temporary.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK received the highest amount of money from electoral bonds. When it is compared with national parties, the amount which they have received is 400 to 500 times higher. BJP got funds from 28 states; on a pro rata basis, from each state it received just Rs 168 crore. The Congress received lesser than Trinamool Congress. The kind of funding DMK had received is multifold – Rs 600 crore.

We have to wait to get the finer details. Some companies are still facing cases. It is not that they donated funds after I-T or ED raids. We have to wait for full details. It's important to note that cases against companies were not withdrawn after funding. It's not the end I think.

We have to understand it's political funding. What is the motive, we cannot question. These bonds were bought legally. The Supreme Court says it's unconstitutional, but you cannot attach any stigma on the party or the company for the funding.