Your party’s manifesto talks about reorganising the economy around agriculture. Are you talking about shutting down industries and factories over time or seeking balance between industrial growth and agricultural growth?

I am not saying we should shut it down. But there are toxic industries that poison the land, water, and air. Those cannot be allowed to operate. If we want to provide jobs for everyone and build a stable economy, we must move towards an agriculture-centred economy.

We must achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Today, many countries have collapsed because they abandoned agriculture. Meanwhile, even essential food items such as onions are imported from countries like Egypt. What pride is there in exporting cars? I am not saying shut the factories. Let them exist. But I will also create government-led industries based on local resources. These will create jobs without huge salaries but with low living costs. Today, engineers are unemployed. Highly educated people apply for watchman jobs.

Why not work in agriculture-linked industries instead? Managing dairy logistics, production, processing — are these not jobs? Is information technology work the only one that matters? Why is it that only if a job is at an American company, it is considered ‘real work’? Is this not work?

NTK’s manifesto talks about decentralisation of power but at the same time talks about “benign authoritarianism”. Don’t you find it contradictory?

Authoritarianism is not tyranny. Hitler was not a true authoritarian leader — he was oppressive. Extremism means strong commitment to an idea. Terrorism is eliminating people who disagree. A true benevolent authoritarian leader enforces discipline for the greater good. Like a doctor giving a painful injection to save a child. In our country, people follow rules abroad but not at home. Why? Because of excessive freedom without discipline.

We need maximum authority to implement minimum democracy effectively. Decisions must be democratic, but execution must be strict. Like a mother forcing a child to eat — it may seem harsh, but it is love. That is benevolent authoritarianism.

Without discipline, there will be no order. That is why we see lawlessness and social decay.

Why didn’t you join an alliance or haven’t been able to form an alliance that accepts you as the leader despite having over 8% vote share?

The reason is our goal and ideology. When [actor and TVK founder] Vijay came to politics, he declared E.V.R. (E.V. Ramasamy) as his ideological leader. I am fighting to defeat Dravidian ideology... but he is once again trying to plant it.

He talks about defeating the DMK and the AIADMK, but he accepts Dravidian ideologues as his role models. I feel the parties have used freebies to fool people. Tamil Nadu’s debt has almost touched ₹10.5 lakh crore, but quality of healthcare and education has not improved. So, all these parties are more of the same.

Did you reach out to the CPI(M), CPI, VCK, and the PMK for an alliance?

They won’t stand for Tamil nationalist politics. None of them will come... they have accepted the idea that it is not possible to win without giving cash to get votes.

Also, they have immersed themselves into the Dravidian ideology and aligning with a caste outfit doesn’t work for us. We are a party for all... pursuing politics for all. So, who is there for me to form an alliance with? Only Vijay.... but he toes the same line as Dravidian parties. I will take my time... but I won’t go back. It is the people who should decide to back us. You have tried the DMK and the AIADMK.... why don’t you vote for us now? How bad can we be — worse than the DMK or the AIADMK?

If voted to power, what would the first six months of an NTK government look like?

I will start implementing a 10-year green plan — employ people to plant trees just like how we have sanitation workers [to remove garbage].

I will begin removing encroachments properly, clear, desilt, and maintain waterbodies. I will create new water storage systems — quickly, rapidly, on a war-footing.

We need to build healthcare systems — government hospitals that can rival private hospitals. I have seen how Arvind Kejriwal [former Chief Minister] has done this in Delhi and [Chief Minister] Pinarayi Vijayan has done in Kerala.

We need to set up “green” schools, “green” roads while removing invasive trees such as seemai karuvelam and eucalyptus. At the same time, I will create jobs in people’s living areas, improve education, and healthcare quality.

You are dismissive of direct cash transfers to the people. You want educated people to adapt to “village-centric” economic growth. We have people working in industries and earning a good salary....

When freebies are given, labour, wages for labour, and development doesn’t happen. This is dangerous.

What I say may be funny now, but people will forget how to work (hard). We know how people suffered when tomato prices rose.

We all consume milk, ghee, butter...eat meat... we all want organic food... but we feel it is beneath us to rear sheep and cows.

So, when we go to self-reliant, village-based economy, we can aspire for a bigger milk market. When we provide quality free education, quality healthcare, and pure drinking water, economic needs reduce drastically. This means people don’t need high wages.