Thiruma calls EPS’s veiled invite to DMK allies as ploy to weaken DMK-led SPF

CHENNAI: A day after AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami issued a veiled invitation to the DMK's allies, saying that they would lay a "red carpet" for them, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan dismissed the statement as a strategy to create confusion and weaken the DMK-led Secular Progressive Front (SPF).

Thiruma maintained that the SPF remains intact and insisted all leaders within the alliance must safeguard it.

"It is not only the DMK's responsibility to protect and safeguard the alliance, but also the duty of every single party, including the MNM, to keep the front intact," said Thiruma, after meeting MNM leader and actor Kamal Haasan to congratulate him on being elected to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Thiruma's remarks were in response to Palaniswami's indirect invitation to the Left parties and the VCK to join the AIADMK-led front. "Just because the VCK has raised issues (regarding permission for party programmes) does not mean it has been humiliated within the DMK front. The situation was no different during the AIADMK regime. Moreover, any political party must face struggles to grow and establish itself. The VCK has done that over the years and has emerged as a force," said Thiruma, responding to Palaniswami's question as to why DMK’s allies continue to remain in the front even after being, according to him, humiliated and denied permission to erect flags or hold conferences.

The VCK chief further stated that the DMK-led front remains strong, while opposition parties are still scattered and yet to come together to form an alliance. Nevertheless, he accused them of resorting to ploys aimed at weakening the DMK front.

He also ruled out any significant impact of a third front, either at the state or national level, citing historical evidence that the people have consistently rejected such fronts. In Tamil Nadu, he said, the real contest remains between the DMK and AIADMK alliances. The public, he argued, would never consider a third or fourth force, alluding to actor Vijay's nascent front or any other emerging formation.

"Whether or not we are in the DMK alliance, we will continue to oppose the BJP. We are committed to our ideology and will never compromise on it. Moreover, as one of the key members of the Secular Progressive Front, it is our duty to defend it," he said on Wednesday, responding to BJP functionary K P Ramalingam's disparaging claim that the VCK opposes the BJP only to secure a few seats in the DMK alliance.

Thiruma added that the VCK's opposition to the BJP goes beyond electoral politics. The BJP's ideology is fundamentally opposed to Ambedkar's vision of an egalitarian society. "Ambedkar wanted secular forces to thrive to achieve that goal, but the saffron party was hostile to this vision. Hence, the VCK is opposing the BJP on ideological grounds," he said.