Vaiko says alliances in 2006 and 2017 were his ‘big mistakes’

MDMK general secretary Vaiko has said he committed “two major mistakes” by entering into alliances with the AIADMK in 2006 and with the DMK in 2017.

In a statement, Vaiko alleged that during the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the DMK pressured the MDMK to contest only four constituencies under the DMK’s “Rising Sun” symbol. He said that while being part of an alliance, criticism of the government or the DMK would have led to his party being removed from the coalition.

Vaiko described the 2017 understanding with the DMK—formed, he said, to oppose the BJP—as his second major error. He asserted that he and his party are now taking the right decisions in today’s political climate.

Projecting confidence about the MDMK’s future, Vaiko said the party is recovering from setbacks and moving forward in Tamil Nadu politics. He added that he was sharing the message not only for party members, but also for the public and the media to understand his position.