In an interview, Seeman says he was invited to align with parties every election but chose an independent path. He also says Vijay should decide on joining hands with him. “When ideology takes the lead, there is nothing wrong with cinema coming into it.” Excerpts:The Election Commission of India recently recognised NTK as a state party and assigned it a symbol. Recognition for our efforts was overdue. It’s a long journey driven by the dreams of our ancestors, fuelled by persistence. I spoke with my leader (late LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran) about the journey, and its true purpose emerged only after the war. If I am standing alone, it is because I am a person who has a principle that permanent victory should not be lost for temporary defeats; permanent defeat should not be accepted for temporary victories. NTK is one of the few parties to receive recognition without cash for votes or in an alliance. Prior to this, it was Vijayakanth, and the reason for that was he was a famous actor. Getting 36 lakh votes is encouraging for NTK.What’s your strategy for the 2026 assembly election? Given the lack of financial strength, the only way to win is hard work. NTK has been discussing issues related to language and natural resources for 15 years. The party’s candidate selection includes a mix of demographics: Our 234 candidates will be the best; 117 women and 117 men, including 134 youths. Our strategy is to telecast our plan for governance. There is corruption, bribery, cash for votes, mis-governance, looting of resources, hooch tragedies, sexual offences, and illegal mining of resources.Why contest alone after repeated electoral defeats? Why should I float my own party if the plan is to simply align with the established ones? I could have been in the DMK. It negates the idea of being an alternative. I must carry my dream on my shoulders. If I leave it and trust you to go to Tirupathur, what will I do if you go to Tirupati? I aspire for increased job opportunities, environmental protection, and corruption eradication through a self-dependent economy. We sow the seeds. If we cannot harvest them, let another generation come and harvest them.Your recent birthday wishes to AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami have sparked speculation about you softening your stance towards the party. DMK, AIADMK, BJP, and Congress are considered equal adversaries of NTK. Both Dravidian parties are enemies of our ethnicity. The flag colours of the two parties might be different, but their policies and practices of liquor, bribery, corruption, and cash for votes remain. When it comes to BJP and Congress, one will demolish a mosque, and the other will allow it. One party will lay the foundation for a temple, and the other will extend wishes.Did AIADMK approach you before reaching out to Vijay to explore an alliance? These attempts began when former chief minister J Jayalalithaa was alive. She extended an invitation in 2016. Barring DMK and Congress, all parties are in touch with me. They call me every election, though I tell them I don’t want to be bothered.There were reports that you were working to unite the AIADMK groups. I discussed the split when V K Sasikala came out of jail. She said Palaniswami did not agree to the unification. Palaniswami’s decision to align with BJP is not universally supported within AIADMK. An alliance with BJP will be beneficial in deciding who should rule India. What is the benefit in determining who should rule Tamil Nadu?BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran has spoken about the party being keen on aligning. Everyone before him talked to us. I cannot align with national or Dravidian parties. National parties will destroy the language and prioritise religion over humanity. There is a lack of differentiation between the policies of Congress and BJP, be it external affairs, security, or economy. Examples are NEET and GST. I met everyone and refused to align with them.Your shift from admiring Periyar to criticising him is viewed by some as aligning with BJP’s stance against Dravidian politics. Do the views align because both of us speak Tamil and worship the same God, Murugan? They believe Periyar’s ideology is against religion, while I view him as an “enemy of our own race”. He spoke disparagingly of my mother tongue, saying it’s a barbaric language. Tamil is the oldest language, and several languages were born out of Tamil.Opponents credit Tamil Nadu’s accomplishments to the Dravidian movement’s social justice principles. What does social justice have to do with them? Why are we seeking a caste-wise census? TN has significant resources, which Nobel laureate Amartya Sen noted could position it as a major economic force. Still, our mothers are left to ask for `1,000.Vijay’s approach combines Dravidam and Tamil nationalism, while NTK has an anti-Dravidam stance. He does not know how Dravidam and Tamil nationalism cannot become one. Tamil nationalism arose to combat the negative aspects of Dravidam. His understanding is incomplete.Is Vijay a threat to NTK? I don’t see him as one. TN faces a dangerous phenomenon of ‘screen charm’, which is not as prevalent in other states. People are focused on entertainment and fun, hindering readiness for societal change. The state has been dealing with this for four decades from the days of M G Ramachandran. There will be consequences if it continues to overshadow good politics, leadership, and commitment to people.You earlier said you may team up with Vijay. What happened? He should be the one to decide. When ideology takes the lead, there is nothing wrong with “cinema” coming into it. If someone who carries an ideology turns around and surrenders to “cinema,” it won’t work out. He accepts Periyar as a guiding force while we see Periyar as a historical enemy of our race. That is why it is difficult to join hands.Has BJP approached Vijay? I am told they have.Wouldn’t the two of you make a powerful combo? Vijay can join me if he thinks my policies are beneficial. I don’t need an alliance. I have announced candidates for more than 100 constituencies, and work is on for another 70 seats.Is there a chance of seeing NTK, TVK, and AIADMK joining hands closer to the election? We cannot join hands with any party. Will others listen to me if I reflect on the words of our leader, Prabhakaran? I will put up a picture of the leader and have a tiger flag; will they align with me? My ideology differs from others. I see confusion in the guidance given to Vijay. He should consider altering the underlying ideology or the person crafting it.Isn’t going against every party a disadvantage? Anura Kumara Dissanayake got only 3% of the votes initially, but now governs Sri Lanka with 53%. The BJP’s victory in Tripura saw its vote share jump from 2% to 44%. My vote share increased from 1% to 5% and then to 8%. If former BJP President K Annamalai had not formed an alliance, I would have gained an additional 5%-6% of votes.Wouldn’t a split in anti-DMK votes benefit the DMK alliance? People vote for me because they believe it will benefit the state and people. I want to change the fundamental structure of politics, not displace DMK and install AIADMK, or the reverse.Will anti-corruption be an important plank in 2026? Corruption will cease if someone honest like me assumes office. Can DMK, AIADMK, BJP, or Congress genuinely address corruption? The BJP received most of its funding through electoral bonds. Do DMK and AIADMK have the moral high ground to discuss the issue?How do you view Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership? BJP has been in power for 12 years. What are the significant developments during this period? The Clean India initiative and promise to provide two crore jobs a year are empty statements. We waged a war, but why should we justify our actions to other countries? Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, while in the USA, said one country shouldn’t dictate another’s defence policies. That is an example of leadership.