CHENNAI: The CPI and CPM have decided to skip the second alliance parties meeting convened by the ruling TVK on Wednesday, but said they would continue to extend their support to the TVK government from outside for the next five years.
CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said the party’s outside support to the TVK government was a political decision taken to prevent the BJP from gaining power through an indirect route. He said the CPI would continue to support the government democratically, but expects CM Vijay to remain firmly committed to secularism and address issues of workers, farmers and other weaker sections of the society.
Talking to reporters after the state executive committee meeting at party HQ, Veerapandian said TVK ministers had visited the CPI headquarters last week and invited the party to Wednesday’s meeting to discuss alliance matters and a common minimum programme. However, after discussions at the executive meeting, on Tuesday, the party decided not to attend.
Similarly, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said the party’s support to the TVK would continue, but this would depend on the government maintaining its present political position. “We have decided not to participate in the meeting,” he told reporters in Chennai.
