CHENNAI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, joined a protest in Chennai on Thursday for the first time, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The Congress-led INDIA bloc organised the protest over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The “Protect Democracy” protest was organised by Congress MP B Manickam Tagore and the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), with representatives of all seven constituent parties taking part. The demonstration comes amid continuing protests in the national capital over alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls.
TVK’s participation marks its first involvement in a campaign to remove the CEC since the party joined the INDIA bloc on October 3.
Among those present were TVK leader and School Education Minister A Rajmohan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan, and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko.
Speaking to ANI during the protest, VCK leader SS Balaji expressed confidence that justice and democracy would prevail, while referring to TVK’s participation in the INDIA bloc.
“When the CJP raised their voice against Dharmendra Pradhan for his resignation, it came out very soon... At the end of the day, justice prevails, and democracy wins. You have several national parties in the INDIA bloc. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, the number of parties is limited, and they (the TVK) have expressed their interest in joining the Tamil Nadu INDIA bloc... When the INDIA bloc meets at the national level, they will give their consent to the official entry of the TVK, but the TVK has joined the INDIA bloc...” he said.
Congress MP Vijay Vasanth called for the CEC’s resignation, accusing the Election Commission of favouring the BJP.
“We are insisting on the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar... The Election Commission is working on behalf of the BJP, which is undemocratic... The BJP government does not listen to the people's voice... In order to add strength, the TVK government is also joining this protest today...” he told ANI.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) chief KM Kader Mohideen, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary P Shanmugam, Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary M Veerapandian, and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) state secretary Pala Asaithamby also participated in the agitation.
Nivedit Alva, the All India Congress Committee’s in-charge for Tamil Nadu, was among the Congress functionaries present at the demonstration.
The protest in Chennai comes amid growing tensions between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The DMK has distanced itself from Congress-led agitations and accused its former ally of betrayal, highlighting the widening rift between the two parties.
(With inputs from ANI)