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The Print
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Political prudence or just pressure? DMK allies turn up heat over seat-sharing before Tamil Nadu polls
While Thirumalavalan played it down as just a friendly meeting, Vaigaichelvan said the meeting marked the beginning of the unravelling of the DMK-led alliance. VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, who has been pressing for more seats, went a step further, meeting opposition AIADMK MLA and former minister Vaigaichelvan who visited him at his residence on 16 June. Chennai: With assembly elections in Tamil Nadu just about 10 months away, allies of the ruling DMK in the state including the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have started mounting pressure on the senior partner to give them more seats to contest the polls. 'The DMK alliance has developed cracks and it is just the beginning. You will see more parties having discussions with the AIADMK,' Vaigaichelvan told reporters in Chennai on 18 June when asked about the meeting. Hours later, addressing a public meeting in Madurai, Thirumavalavan said while VCK is not averse to the idea of joining the AIADMK-led alliance, 'the alliance also has BJP and the PMK, which would not go well with us.' 'VCK will not be part of any alliance where BJP and the PMK are there,' he declared. Thirumavalavan and CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam have said on multiple occasions that they would definitely demand more seats from DMK. CPI state secretary P. Mutharasan told ThePrint they too want more seats. 'But, demanding and negotiating the seats are supposed to happen discreetly between parties. It should not be discussed with the media like how other alliance partners are doing,' he said. Asked about it, DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan said it was for Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to decide who gets how many seats in the alliance. 'Our leader will not let anybody be unhappy in the state. Alliance leaders will also be treated in the same manner.' In the 2011 assembly elections, DMK contested 119 of the 234 seats. Its ally Congress was given 63 seats, while VCK and CPI were allocated 10 each, and the CPI(M) 12. While CPI won one seat with a vote share of 1.49 percent, CPI(M) didn't win any, though it did corner 2.22 percent votes. The Congress managed to win five seats with a vote share of 9.31 percent percent, while VCK won two seats with a vote share of 1.51 percent. In the 2016 assembly elections, VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and other parties formed a third front and contested separately but did not secure any seat, and their vote percentage was also under one percent. The Congress, which was part of the DMK-led alliance, contested 41 seats and won eight, securing 6.42 percent votes. In 2021, VCK, CPI and CPI(M) contested the assembly elections as DMK allies and were allotted six seats each. While CPI and CPI(M) won two seats each, VCK won four. The Congress contested 25 seats and won 18, securing 4.29 percent votes, compared to CPI(M)'s 1.13 percent, CPI's 1.10 percent and VCK's 1.01 percent. Also Read: Stalin's face front & centre, I-PAC hits ground running to shape DMK campaign for 2026 polls 'Just a pressure tactic' Political analyst P. Sigamani told ThePrint it was just a pressure-building tactic by smaller parties so they can bargain a better deal during seat-sharing talks with senior allies. But it would not have any bearing on the larger alliance. 'The DMK-led alliance is a tested and proven alliance that would win the elections, be it parliament or assembly or even the local body. Hence, there is no chance of the alliance breaking. But, these demands in public would give them a leverage to (potentially) get more seats in the upcoming assembly election,' Sigamani told ThePrint. 'If political parties that have increased their vote share and their presence over the years and they demand more seats, it would definitely help the alliance. But, if parties like the Congress demand more seats, it would have an impact in securing a majority in the assembly,' Sigamani said, recalling the past performance of the Congress party. In the 2011 polls, the Congress won just five of the 63 seats it contested. In the 2016 polls, the Congress was allotted 41 seats and it won eight. In the 2021 assembly elections, the Congress was allocated 25 seats and it won 18 seats. 'We have also increased our presence in the state,' Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K. Selvaperunthagai told ThePrint. 'Unlike in previous elections, we have proved our support base in the last two Lok Sabha elections and in the 2021 assembly election as well. So, we would definitely demand for more seats to contest, and the numbers will be decided by the national leadership.' VCK general secretary Sinthanai Selvan said it was the need of the hour to strengthen the alliance to achieve the larger goal of protecting the country. 'We are part of the DMK alliance not just for the seats and power, but, for a larger cause of saving the nation from the Hindutva forces,' he told ThePrint. 'In the journey to protect the country, it is also essential to strengthen ourselves to fight Sanatan forces. So, demanding more seats to contest is natural to strengthen our own party.' He, however, added the demand would not be at the cost of the DMK-led alliance. Shanmugam also told ThePrint seat-sharing talks would not be at the cost of the alliance, but it would only aim at strengthening his party and its representation in the assembly. 'The representation of the Marxist at the state and national level has been dwindling for years. And as a party, we want to increase our presence in assembly in accordance with our increase in presence on the ground,' he said, adding that they do not have any number in mind for now, but would decide at the time of seat-sharing talks with DMK. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: How smaller TN parties are bolstering bargaining power to extract more from senior partners in 2026
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
AIADMK alliance still shapeless and BJP trying to gain foothold through religion, says Thirumavalavan
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader and Chidambaram MP Thol. Thirumavalavan on Friday contended that the AIADMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu remains 'shapeless'. In his view, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's second visit to the State (within two months), is part of an attempt to give the alliance some structure ahead of Assembly election. Speaking to the media persons ahead of the party's rally to be held in Tiruchi on June 14, Mr. Thirumavalavan criticised the BJP's religious outreach, including events such as the Murugan devotees' conference, stating that such religion-oriented politics should not be allowed to take root in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Thirumavalavan reaffirmed the party's commitment to the DMK-led front but insisted that coordination and seat-sharing must reflect mutual respect. 'No party should dominate or dictate terms. We have long demanded a share in governance, but this is not the moment to emphasise that,' he said. Responding to questions on TASMAC liquor outlets, Mr. Thirumavalavan reiterated the party's consistent stand that all State-run liquor shops must be shut permanently.
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Some DMK allies are in touch with us, claims BJP's Nainar Nagenthiran
BJP State president Nainar Nagenthiran has stirred a political storm by claiming that a few electoral allies of the ruling DMK are in touch with his party as these parties are eager to be with the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu. 'Even though we have lot of time for the election, talks are going on with a few political parties now with the DMK. Some of these parties will come to the NDA fold,' Mr. Nagenthiran told reporters here on Wednesday. When asked to name the political parties that are in touch with the BJP, he said the chances of new parties joining the NDA after ditching the DMK was bright even though he could not say anything concrete at this moment. He asserted that the DMK and the alliance it had stitched with other political parties was 'fragile'. 'If the DMK is strong as being projected, let the party contest the upcoming Assembly on its own. Since the NDA in Tamil Nadu is strong, our alliance partner AIADMK-led rule will be in place in the State after the next Assembly polls,' Mr. Nagenthiran said. When he said the Centre had given over ₹10 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu in the past 11 years apart from the State's GST share from the Union Government, Mr. Nagenthiran was asked to give the breakup about the Centre-funded projects in the State, he said: 'I'll give you the details later'. When asked about the carbon dating researches done by a US university on ancient Tamil civilization and the Centre's inexplicable hesitation in giving due recognition to Keeladi excavations, the BJP president said he would visit the site soon and recommend to the Centre based on his findings. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are holding Tamil and Tamils in high esteem by propagating its ancientness and culture across the globe,' he said. On the Madras High Court's direction to the Centre to release funds to Tamil Nadu under the Right to Education programme, Mr. Nagenthiran wanted to know why Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who was claiming of managing the fiscal gaps with the State's own resources, was not giving funds for RTE if he was really worried about the education of poor rural students instead of waiting for Central funds. Listing 'achievements' of the Narendra Modi-led Union Government in the past 11 years, Mr. Nagenthiran said the BJP government was according highest priority to the nation's security while building the social, agricultural and health infrastructure in a big way in the country.
Economic Times
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
DMK not afraid of 'ordinary persons' like Modi, Shah: A Raja
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The DMK was not afraid of "ordinary persons" like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and has a "counter-ideology" to that of the BJP that would ensure the saffron party doesn't gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu, senior party leader A Raja said here on a press conference here in response to Amit Shah's criticism of the ruling DMK in Madurai on Sunday, Raja claimed the BJP veteran's remarks on various issues were "blatant lies, disgusting and divisive."The Lok Sabha MP asserted that the BJP cannot gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu, where Assembly polls are due next year, unlike Delhi or Maharashtra since the Dravidian ideology was a counter to the saffron one."How did (AAP chief) Arvind Kejriwal come to power (in Delhi)-- he only opposed corruption, did he have an ideology, were there leaders behind are not afraid of Amit Shah and Modi-- after all, they are ordinary persons. The political ideology behind them is invading everywhere and winning, but why is it unable to win here. Because we have an alternative to that ideology," he said referring to the Dravidian philosophy."As long as Dravidian ideology is there, they cannot gain foothold in Tamil Nadu. We are not Delhi, Maharashtra and Haryana. We are Tamil Nadu, we are Dravidam, (BJP) cannot come here," he on Sunday asserted that the NDA would form governments in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal next year and targeted the DMK regime in the state by firing fresh "corruption" salvos, including the Rs 4,600 crore sand mining scam. BJP is part of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Raja said the DMK can disprove Shah "word-by-word," on whatever he spoke in Madurai, the people of Tamil Nadu will not accept such things from the BJP leader."His remarks don' suit his office of Union Home minister. To put in a nutshell whatever he spoke, they were blatant lies, disgusting and divisive," Raja union minister made "baseless charges," against the ruling dispensation, he said."TN Chief Minister M K Stalin has ensured law and order and despite central funds being not available on many occasions, has implemented growth schemes from state funds quickly and unable to digest this, the Centre and the BJP brought Shah to Tamil Nadu," he also lashed out at the Centre over issues including the proposed census and the Centre approving a caste census, he recalled the BJP's earlier opposition to it and criticism of those demanding such an enumeration and wondered why it has changed its stand the BJP's upcoming conference on Lord Muruga in Madurai, Raja claimed it was being held with the intention of creating communal rift and derive political mileage out of that.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
DMK not afraid of 'ordinary persons' like Modi, Shah: A Raja
The DMK was not afraid of "ordinary persons" like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and has a "counter-ideology" to that of the BJP that would ensure the saffron party doesn't gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu, senior party leader A Raja said here on Monday. Addressing a press conference here in response to Amit Shah's criticism of the ruling DMK in Madurai on Sunday, Raja claimed the BJP veteran's remarks on various issues were "blatant lies, disgusting and divisive." The Lok Sabha MP asserted that the BJP cannot gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu, where Assembly polls are due next year, unlike Delhi or Maharashtra since the Dravidian ideology was a counter to the saffron one. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like When the Camera Clicked at the Worst Possible Time Read More Undo "How did (AAP chief) Arvind Kejriwal come to power (in Delhi)-- he only opposed corruption, did he have an ideology, were there leaders behind are not afraid of Amit Shah and Modi-- after all, they are ordinary persons. The political ideology behind them is invading everywhere and winning, but why is it unable to win here. Because we have an alternative to that ideology," he said referring to the Dravidian philosophy. "As long as Dravidian ideology is there, they cannot gain foothold in Tamil Nadu. We are not Delhi, Maharashtra and Haryana. We are Tamil Nadu, we are Dravidam, (BJP) cannot come here," he said. Live Events Shah on Sunday asserted that the NDA would form governments in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal next year and targeted the DMK regime in the state by firing fresh "corruption" salvos, including the Rs 4,600 crore sand mining scam. BJP is part of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu. While Raja said the DMK can disprove Shah "word-by-word," on whatever he spoke in Madurai, the people of Tamil Nadu will not accept such things from the BJP leader. "His remarks don' suit his office of Union Home minister. To put in a nutshell whatever he spoke, they were blatant lies, disgusting and divisive," Raja claimed. The union minister made "baseless charges," against the ruling dispensation, he said. "TN Chief Minister M K Stalin has ensured law and order and despite central funds being not available on many occasions, has implemented growth schemes from state funds quickly and unable to digest this, the Centre and the BJP brought Shah to Tamil Nadu," he alleged. He also lashed out at the Centre over issues including the proposed census and the delimitation. On Centre approving a caste census, he recalled the BJP's earlier opposition to it and criticism of those demanding such an enumeration and wondered why it has changed its stand now. On the BJP's upcoming conference on Lord Muruga in Madurai, Raja claimed it was being held with the intention of creating communal rift and derive political mileage out of that.
