All is well with DMK, says Cong

Chennai: A final decision on alliance with DMK will be made in two days and there are no issues regarding the alliance between Congress and DMK, said TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai.

Addressing media persons, he said, ‘ We are on track to win in all 40 constituencies. Therefore, we will soon make the final decision on the alliance with the DMK.’

This announcement comes as the conclusion of the joint venture with the DMK is imminent, marking the culmination of discussions held over the past two days.

He said the seat-sharing talks was cordial. The Congress had contested the 2019 Parliamentary elections, 2021 Assembly polls and local body elections in the company of the DMK and registered a thumping victory.

‘Since the Congress’s relationship with the DMK is time-tested and trustworthy, the ruling party will not underestimate us and, hence, give us our due share of seats,’ he felt.

He claimed that INDIA bloc, after winning more than 400 Parliamentary seats, would form the government to ensure the continuation of a unified India.

Meanwhile, VCK chief Thirumavalavan said that though they may get fewer seats than they wish to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the DMK alliance, they believe the need to safeguard the nation from the BJP is important, and their decision would be based on that.

He said the VCK would contest Lok Sabha polls in other south Indian states — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana — as well, in the ‘Pot’ symbol. He noted that though it may be a free symbol, they believe that the Election Commission would allocate them as they had contested on that in the previous elections.

According to Thirumavalavan, his party would contest 10 seats in Telangana and in Andhra Pradesh, where both Assembly and general elections are likely to be held together and they are holding seat-sharing talks with Andhra Congress president Y S Sharmila.

Opposing the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, which, according to Thirumavalvan, is acting in favour of the ruling party and as they consider it as a threat to the democracy, similar to the protest they organised they organised in Tamil Nadu, VCK will protest in the four southern states after March 10.