CHENNAI: VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Thursday said TVK president C Joseph Vijay’s decision to approach the Congress to form the government, even when it could have been easier to form a government with the AIADMK, was a testament to his commitment to secularism and stand against the BJP.
The ruling TVK and its alliance partners held a joint public meeting in Madurantakam on Thursday in support of their candidate Maragatham Kumaravel for the October 6 Assembly bypoll. Addressing the campaign meeting, Thirumavalavan said Vijay had taken an “unexpected” decision by reaching out to the Congress, the VCK, the IUML and the communist parties.
“I was shaken by this decision. I asked whether they would allow this government to function even for three months if it was formed with the Congress. But they took a courageous decision. Whether they form the government or not, Vijay had taken the position that he would be with the Congress,” he said.
“From the time he announced his name, Vijay took a stand against the BJP. Even when the politics of hatred was pursued, Vijay had taken the position that his name is ‘Joseph’ Vijay,” Thirumavalavan said. He said the BJP’s political position was a Congress-less India and Dravidian-less Tamil Nadu. “In a manner that would provoke the BJP, Vijay took the decision to contact Congress leader Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko, who also addressed the meeting, hit out at the DMK over its alleged decision to support AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami as CM (after the election results). Countering criticism that the government would last only another three months, Vaiko said he expected Vijay to remain in power for several years. “He will win the 2031 elections too and form the government,” he added.
Minister Aadhav Arjuna said, “By embracing the ideals of Thanthai Periyar, Dr B R Ambedkar, Perunthalaivar K Kamaraj, Velu Nachiyar and Anjalai Ammal, we have established a government in TN grounded in secular principles and social justice. We will create a system where power and governance are shared, and we will also conduct a comprehensive caste-based census.”
Claiming that the DMK and the AIADMK were heading towards a decline under their current leadership, Minister Nirmal Kumar said, “When a leader like Palaniswami acts against his own ideology and the principles of J Jayalalithaa and MGR, it shows total betrayal.”
Ministers N Anand and A M Shahjahan, and TNCC president B Manickam Tagore, among others, were present.
