CHENNAI: The decision of the BJP and the AIADMK to form an alliance for a coalition government has not made any impact on the allies’ expectations from the DMK, leaders told TNIE.
While the DMK’s allies themselves have denied having any such expectation, the party’s propaganda secretary and MLA, CVMP Ezhilarasan, said voters are aware of the uncertainty that surrounds coalition governments and will be hesitant to vote.
TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai said, “When Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke about the coalition government, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami neither supported nor opposed it. The first thing to be considered is how AIADMK cadre and functionaries will accept such an arrangement. The coalition government Shah was talking about is not feasible. This alliance is a blatant example of opportunistic politics.” As regards the Congress, any decision regarding coalition government will be taken only by the party’s national leadership, he added.
CPM state secretary P Shanmugam told TNIE that they would not be part of any government led by capitalist parties. “Like in Kerala and West Bengal, we are open to including others in a government led by the communist parties. But we will not participate in coalition governments led by other parties,” he said.
VCK Assembly floor leader M Sinthanai Selvan said, “It is laughable for a party with no chance of winning in Tamil Nadu to speak about a coalition government.” He said when Shah talked about an AIADMK-BJP coalition government, he was essentially referring to a BJP-led government. “As far as VCK is concerned, a coalition government cannot be formed merely through bargaining. Such a scenario should arise only when a party earns extensive support from the people and secures electoral victory based on that. If, in the future, we gain such widespread acceptance, we will consider the idea of a coalition government,” he said.
When Aadhav Arjuna, a political strategist, was in the VCK, he raised the demand for a coalition government, which created ripples in political circles with commentators wondering if this was VCK’s demand as a party. Eventually, party chief MP Thol Thirumavalavan, who said the time was not right yet in the state for a coalition government, suspended him in December 2024 and the voice for a coalition government faded away. Arjuna later joined the TVK, which also welcomed power sharing arrangements as long as it is led by the TVK.
When asked about DMK’s stance, Ezhilarasan said, “Currently, no such demand exists. Secondly, people often associate coalition governments with uncertainty. The NDA is not confident about winning the election. They said it because their preference is to forge an alliance now. However, AIADMK cadre will not accept it, and you will see it during voting. Even EPS did not second it when Shah announced it.”
