CHENNAI: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) President Thol Thirumavalavan on Monday said there is no fissure or disagreement in the DMK-VCK alliance. He said this after meeting Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin to congratulate him on his successful US visit to bring investments to the state.
Thirumavalavan’s comments came in the backdrop of the recent controversy surrounding the alliance after the VCK chief’s comments about his party’s aim of sharing power in a coalition government and how VCK is open to all parties, including the AIADMK, participating in its liquor prohibition conference planned on October 2.
He said the Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed that the DMK is also in favour of prohibition and had said two senior DMK leaders -Organising Secretary RS Bharathi and Public Relations Secretary TKS Elangovan – would attend the conference.
When asked by newspersons about his comments on share in power, Thirumavalavan said it did not come up in his discussion with Stalin. He, however, reiterated that VCK has been talking about its aspiration for sharing power since 1999. “We have been talking about this demand for a long time and we will continue to do so,” he said, adding his party knows when to raise which issue strongly.
Elaborating on his party’s demands on the liquor issue, he said the state government should reduce the sales target of liquor in a phased manner. He further said in accordance with Article 47 of the Constitution, the union government should bring a national policy on prohibition.
He said DMK founder and former Chief Minister CN Annadurai also urged for a national prohibition policy as per Article 47 and VCK is now demanding the same. He said Stalin assured to take this demand to the union government.
When asked whether VCK would invite other parties for the conference, he said his party did not extend an invitation personally even to the DMK. “Based on what was discussed, the CM said both our opinions are the same (regarding the issue of prohibition) and informed that two leaders from his party will participate in the conference,” he said. He indicated while all parties are welcome, the invitation will not be extended personally to any party.
Thirumavalavan reiterated his stance that the conference is not about electoral politics, but focused on the plight of thousands of women who have lost their husbands to alcohol addiction and the need to push the union government act since it has been shrugging its responsibility on the issue.