Chennai, Oct 15 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) joined an opposition demonstration demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal on Thursday, marking its first participation in such a campaign since joining the INDIA Bloc on October 3.
School Education Minister and TVK leader A Rajmohan represented the party at the Chennai protest, which brought together Congress leaders and representatives of its allies over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Organised by Congress MP B Manickam Tagore and the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, the Protect Democracy demonstration sought to intensify pressure on the Election Commission amid continuing opposition protests in the national capital over alleged discrepancies in voter rolls.
TVK’s presence gave the agitation added political significance as Congress seeks to strengthen its partnership with Vijay’s party while relations with its former ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), continue to deteriorate.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko were among the prominent leaders who attended the demonstration.
Congress MP Vijay Vasanth demanded Kumar’s resignation and accused the Election Commission of functioning in favour of the BJP.
He alleged that the commission’s conduct undermined democratic principles and that the Union government had failed to respond to public concerns.
Vasanth said the participation of the ruling TVK added strength to the opposition campaign against the election authorities. VCK leader SS Balaji expressed confidence that the campaign would uphold democracy and secure justice.
Discussing TVK’s alignment with the opposition, he indicated that its formal admission at the national level would require the consent of INDIA Bloc leaders, while acknowledging its participation in the Tamil Nadu alliance. Indian Union Muslim League chief KM Kader Mohideen, CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPI(ML) state secretary Pala Asaithamby also participated. All India Congress Committee’s Tamil Nadu in-charge Nivedit Alva was among the Congress functionaries present.
The demonstration unfolded against the backdrop of an increasingly public dispute between Congress and the DMK.
The DMK has stayed away from Congress-led agitations and accused its former partner of betrayal. TVK’s participation highlighted the changing political equations within Tamil Nadu’s opposition alliance, with Congress drawing closer to Vijay’s party as its relationship with the DMK becomes increasingly strained.
–IANS
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