Ariyalur (Tamil Nadu), Jul 9: VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan has said that both the DMK and the ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu must join the INDIA bloc to effectively defeat the BJP at the national level.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha MP stressed that a unified front is essential to counter the BJP’s “communal politics,” irrespective of local ideological differences.
“Even if the TVK and DMK hold opposing stances locally, my national perspective is that both parties must be part of the INDIA bloc to defeat the BJP,” Thirumavalavan said.
Responding to queries about the VCK’s ties with the DMK following a former VCK legislator’s move to the ruling party, Thirumavalavan clarified again that his party had not officially severed its alliance with the DMK. He emphasised the need for political maturity to maintain friendly relations, adding that his primary focus remains on building a strong anti-BJP coalition rather than dwelling on regional grievances.
Thirumavalavan’s comment that “merely taking part in the Cabinet does not mean that the VCK had joined the alliance (led by TVK)” on July 7 had created a furore in Tamil Nadu politics.
While Tamil Nadu Minister Raj Mohan insisted that the ruling party does not exert authoritarian pressure on its allies, and that he viewed Thirumavalavan’s speech as a reflection of democracy, some leaders who support TVK criticised his stance.
MDMK chief Vaiko, for instance, had told reporters that Thirumavalavan deserves a “Nobel Prize” for his comment.
Responding, Thirumavalavan told reporters here: “I thank him (Vaiko) for his recommendation. If a Nobel Prize is awarded, I will certainly extend my gratitude to him.”
He also added that VCK’s dynamics with various parties should be viewed through a prism of political maturity and healthy democratic relationships rather than rigid hostility. He added that only in Tamil Nadu, a long-standing political culture dictates that you must either be completely on this side or that side.
“Why should it always be interpreted that an alliance has broken. Can we not maintain friendships or relationships with others while being in a particular alliance. Why is there such an uncultured form of politics only in Tamil Nadu. In other states, parties allied with the BJP maintain friendly ties with the Congress, and vice versa. Leaders who fight inside Parliament shake hands, sit together for coffee in the lobby, and even embrace in the Central Hall. Why shouldn’t that political decency come to Tamil Nadu,” Thirumavalavan said.
Pointing to recent friction within the national alliance, he urged the Congress to change its approach, noting that its past strategies had created discord with regional allies like the DMK in Tamil Nadu, and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Ties with the Left in Kerala also were strained. (PTI)
