JOIN USTamil Nadu Assembly polls: VCK inks deal with DMK, gets six seats
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) on Thursday inked an agreement with DMK, leader of the Opposition alliance in Tamil Nadu, to contest six seats in the April 6 assembly elections, despite not being “fully satisfied” with the number given to it.
The signing of the seat-sharing agreement was preceded by protests by the cadre of VCK against the DMK for giving only six seats to the party. However, party chief Thol. Thirumavalavan said it was imperative on the part of VCK to stand with the DMK in defeating the AIADMK-BJP alliance and hence the offer of six seats was accepted.
“The BJP has been trying to get a foothold in Tamil Nadu for the last few years. They have not been able to make inroads into the land where social justice prevails. The BJP plays dirty games and it is imperative on the part of secular parties to fight against the forces that propagate Sanatana dharma,” Thirumavalavan told reporters.
The agreement for six seats as against the demand for 10 was signed between DMK President M K Stalin and Thirumavalavan. VCK contested and won two seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in an alliance with the DMK.
Thirumavalavan accused the BJP of “weakening” the AIADMK by being part of the alliance and said the Dravidian party coming to power in Tamil Nadu is like BJP ruling the state. “There is no difference. Vote to AIADMK is a vote to BJP. People should understand this,” he added.
With this, VCK has become the third party in the DMK alliance to finalise the seats after IUML (3), and MMK (2). Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI), which held talks with the DMK, said a deal will be inked on Friday during which the number of seats to be contested by the party will be announced.