TVK rules out alliance with NDA for Tamil Nadu elections
Vijay's party dismisses BJP tie-up rumours, calls NDA its ideological enemy amid speculation of electoral pact in Tamil Nadu; TVK launches new campaign in Karur
Amid intense speculation, Vijay’s TVK has denied any scope for alliance with the AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu and dismissed the possibility of an electoral pact as “media speculation”.
TVK's Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar dismissed as “rumours” the negotiations for an alliance with the NDA, saying that the virtual meeting with the party’s district secretaries held on March 13 was to assess the strengths and alliance prospects.
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“There’s no scope for an alliance with the NDA. We have already made it clear that the BJP is our ideological enemy,” Nirmal Kumar told news agency PTI and sought to know if indeed the “rumours” were true, would the BJP accept Vijay as the chief ministerial candidate.
Evasive BJP
Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran, however, avoided a direct reply to a question from reporters on whether talks for an alliance with the TVK were on.
“You are worried about the alliance, and I am concerned about the people’s issues, especially the failure of law and order in the state and lack of safety for women,” Nagenthran told reporters in Chennai on Saturday (March 14).
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In a sign that the TVK is recovering from the tragic stampede in Karur, the party on Friday launched the “Target Karur” poll campaign to establish the party’s presence in Karur and to try and connect with the people.
Door-to-door campaign
The party had maintained a low profile following the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives at an election rally addressed by Vijay on September 27 last year and later gradually commenced conducting rallies in other parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Vijay and other party leaders are facing a Supreme Court monitored CBI probe into the incident and he has been issued a third summons by the investigating agency to appear before it for questioning.
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On March 13, the TVK functionaries under Karur district secretary VP Mathiyazhagan launched the election campaign after seeking divine blessings at the temples in Kodangipatti in Karur. The members undertook a door-to-door campaign to popularise the party symbol “whistle” among the people.