MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Saturday announced that his party is quitting the DMK-led alliance, following a resolution passed at the party’s general council meeting held in Anna Nagar, Chennai.
Vaiko said the MDMK had stayed in the DMK front for nine years to prevent the rise of the BJP in Tamil Nadu. However, he alleged that after the Assembly election, the DMK held talks to form a government with the AIADMK—an allegation he said was corroborated by parties such as the CPM and the Muslim League. Calling it a “political fraud”, he also claimed the MDMK was pressured to contest on the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, unlike other allies.
After the DMK-led alliance lost the election, a new government was formed under the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), with support from several former DMK allies including the Congress, VCK, Muslim League, CPM and CPI. Vaiko said the MDMK would extend full support to the TVK government and would work with it in upcoming Assembly by-elections and local body polls, while also stating the party would not align with the BJP.
The announcement, however, was complicated by the party’s two sitting MLAs—elected on the DMK symbol from Sirkazhi and Kadayanallur—refusing to resign. Vaiko said he had repeatedly asked them to step down, citing a claim that Chief Minister Vijay had assured victory in a by-election if they resigned, but the MLAs did not agree. He also said Sirkazhi MLA Senthil Selvan had indicated he was leaving the MDMK to join the DMK, while Kadayanallur MLA Rajendran said he would function as an MDMK representative in the Assembly.
