TVK has joined INDIA Bloc in Tamil Nadu, says Thirumavalavan
The October 15 demonstration marked TVK’s first street agitation alongside the Opposition alliance since joining the bloc earlier this month
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan said Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, has formally joined the INDIA bloc’s Tamil Nadu unit and is expected to take part in national protests.
His remarks came a day after TVK participated in the Opposition’s protest in Chennai against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
TVK’s participation
The October 15 demonstration marked the party’s first street agitation alongside the Opposition alliance since joining the bloc earlier this month. “TVK has already joined the INDIA bloc. They are against the Election Commission and the Union government. They attended the INDIA bloc protest yesterday. Recently, they have joined the Tamil Nadu unit; later on, they will participate in the protest at the national level,” Thirumavalavan told ANI.
Also read: ‘Did Vijay win due to voter deletions?' ask critics as TVK joins anti-SIR protest
Vijay did not attend the demonstration in person. TVK was represented by its Minister for School Education, A Rajmohan, who termed the voter revision exercise “anti-democratic” and reiterated the party’s opposition to the SIR process.
Opposition parties have alleged that the revision exercise could lead to the deletion of eligible voters’ names from electoral rolls and have demanded safeguards to protect voting rights.
TVK’s engagement with Opposition
TVK’s participation in the protest followed its engagement with Opposition parties in the state. On October 3, representatives of the party attended a meeting of the Tamil Nadu unit of the INDIA bloc, which included the Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the VCK, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Also read: DMK-Congress feud: SIR becomes flashpoint in Tamil Nadu’s new political equation
The DMK, however, was absent from the October 15 demonstration, highlighting the widening political divide between it and its former ally, the Congress.
TVK’s growing engagement with the Opposition comes days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Vijay at his residence in Chennai on October 10. The meeting fuelled speculation about closer cooperation between the two parties.