COIMBATORE/CHENNAI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) is no longer part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, state secretary M Veerapandian announced on Thursday.
He said the prevailing political circumstances are not conducive to the party remaining in the alliance. Talking to reporters at the party office in Coimbatore, he said the decision was taken at the recent executive committee meeting.
Responding to a question on whether the CPI extended support to the TVK-led government at the behest of DMK president MK Stalin, Veerapandian said the decision was entirely the CPI’s own.
“He (Stalin) did not interfere in the internal affairs of our party or force us to support TVK. We do not know why the DMK president made such a statement,” he said.
Explaining the party’s stand, Veerapandian said the people had given TVK a mandate to form the government. In light of that verdict, the CPI decided to extend outside support to ensure that Tamil Nadu was not placed under President’s Rule or forced into another election.
“The CPI will always be part of democratic forces. The DMK, AIADMK, and TVK are all democratic forces, and we do not view them as our enemies. Our ideological enemies are BJP and RSS,” he added.
He further said the CPI would continue to be part of a broader Left alliance committed to the welfare of the people and the nation. “A decision on alliances for future elections will be taken at the appropriate time,” he said.
Regarding governance, the CPI leader said the state must continue adhering to the two-language policy, refrain from implementing the four labour codes, and waive agricultural loans.
DMK ‘unfazed’
Reacting to the CPI’s formal exit from the SPA, DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi said the party would continue its political journey regardless of who joins or leaves the alliance. He recalled that since 1971, the Left parties have joined the DMK alliance several times and have also left several times.
“Veerapandian has said they are not with the DMK for now; he has not said it is forever. As far as the DMK is concerned, if they are with us, we will work with them. If they oppose us, we will oppose them and continue our journey,” he said, adding that the same approach would apply to any party joining or leaving the alliance.
