“Estate community still looks up to TPA and SJB” - Digambaram

Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) representative and senior member of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Palani Digambaram, who commands a sizeable vote base among the estate community, is of the opinion that  his party’s vote base is still intact despite the current political trend in Sri Lanka. He said that at present, people have pushed traditional political parties aside. Digambaram said that estate communities are better informed than before and will not hold on to traditional party symbols and will not tolerate nepotism. Also he claimed that his vote base will not be affected by his recent episode with former colleagues during a TV debate. “Our vote base is intact” he said. Following are the excerpts of the interview he had with the Daily mirror

  You must be busy with your campaign these days. How is it going?

 I think our campaign is going on successfully. We will definitely win in the Nuwara Eliya District. This is clear, I cannot tell you about other districts

People in this country seemed to be moving away from traditional politics. Is the estate community doing the same?

The reality is that you can capture power by giving various false promises. However it is difficult to run a country after gaining power. Even the National People’s Power (NPP) also gave so many promises. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledged to reduce fuel prices. He claimed that fuel prices are high because of the heavy taxes. He pledged to slash those prices. However he knows it is not easy to do that. The Estate people are aware of this fact. Therefore we will obtain a bulk of the vote at the Parliamentary Elections.

You have been pushing for a pay hike for estate workers. It seems that the issue has not been resolved to this date. What different ways are you hoping to adopt to resolve this issue?

The previous government pledged to increase the daily wage of estate employees up to Rs 1700. However they now get only Re 1300 daily.  Even the present regime also promised an increment. We have to wait and see how they are going to do it. However we will start lobbying for a pay hike for estate workers in the Parliament from the first day itself if we are elected this time.

The votes in the estate sector were divided among the three main candidates during the Presidential Elections. Therefore will you be able to hold on to your vote base?

SJB candidates emerged victorious especially in the Nuwara Eliya District at the Presidential election. Our vote base is intact.  We will have an advantage in districts such as Kandy and Badulla also.

The elephant symbol has returned to the Nuwara Eliya District this time. There is a notion that people in this district favour the elephant symbol. Will your vote base be affected by this move?

People in the estate sector are no longer attached to elephant symbol. It is a thing of the past. Estate sector people are well informed now. Especially the younger voters are well informed in politics. They will think hard before they vote.

 One of your rivals such as Jeewan Thondaman has a vote base in the estate sector because of his family affiliations. How do you guarantee your vote base given this scenario?

People do not recognise family affiliations anymore. They don’t accept the Thondamans anymore. We will emerge victorious.

Some say that the NPP government will suffer the same fate as the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government. What are your comments?

I personally hope that the NPP will get more than 113 seats at the Parliamentary Elections. They should be given a few years to govern with a clear majority in Parliament. If not they will make it an excuse and say that they cannot deliver their promise as they don’t have a majority.

You had an issue with former MP Velu Kumar during a TV discussion recently.  Do you think it would have a negative effect on you at this election?

Velu Kumar was with us for some years. He was bought over by another camp later. I was annoyed with him over this matter. I don’t think it will affect my votes as I have done much for the estate sector people. I have got these people many concessions through the cabinet till 2019.