CHENNAI: Dalit icon BR Ambedkar figures prominently in the run-up to the state polls in Tamil Nadu but not quite in the same fashion as in the national discourse.Thol Thirumavalavan – the most popular dalit leader in the state, who is part of the third front alliance of the Left parties, DMDK, the MDMK and the TMC – discusses Ambedkar’s conversion and asks the dalits “to also think of the demerits of conversion”.“This is the 60th year of Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism. This is why the debate is important,” the 53-year-old leader said. “Converting to other religions reduces the numerical strength of dalits. They are fragmented into minority groups and discrimination continues...,” he said.Conversion has its merits but there are drawbacks as well, Thirumavalavan said. “Leaving Hinduism is fine, but if you stay within the fold, the dalit population will be more, there will be more visibility and numerical strength,” he said.His Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is contesting in 25 seats at a crucial time in the state which has a dalit population of more than 20%. Caste violence, especially honour killings, has been rampant, with over 80 people killed in the past three years alone, according to non-governmental organisations.Thirumalavan’s politics is grounded in the revival of Tamil nationalism, which looks at eliminating caste. “Annihilation of caste was Ambedkar’s only aim. That is the only way for dalits to escape suffering, but how to do it is important,” he said.He said though that he would oppose an anti-conversion law because it is anti-constitutional. “It is the RSS line. We don’t want it. It is against freedom of choice,” he said. An anti-conversion law has been pitched by the Tamil Nadu BJP. Both Union home minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah had called for it at the national level a few months ago.Thirumalavan, who has also been a Member of Parliament once, said the Modi government has “time and again proved that it practises only hatred politics”. “There is no use seeking a remedy from them as their policies are inherently anti-dalit.Even their worshipping of Ambedkar is fake as what they are practising is opposite to what he preached,” he said. Parties in Tamil Nadu too, especially the AIADMK, completely avoid speaking on dalit issues, Thirumalavan said.Election rallies make it evident that his message has struck a chord, with the mere mention of his name drawing enthusiastic cheers from his cadre and supporters.Like Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh, Thirumavalavan has allied with a wide spectrum of forces, including the BJP back in 2001, and worked with even the PMK that it has often locked horns with over caste issues.