Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) general secretary Premalatha Vijayakant on Thursday dismissed reports that the party had demanded the Deputy Chief Minister post from the DMK, asserting that DMDK had only sought its rightful space within the ruling alliance.
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters in Koyambedu, after DMDK treasurer LK Sudhish filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, Premalatha said the reports were “false and baseless.”
She clarified, “News reports claiming that we demanded the Deputy Chief Minister’s post from the DMK are not true. We have never insisted on being given a particular position. Like other parties in an alliance, we have only asked for the space that rightfully belongs to us.”
Premalatha highlighted the party’s legacy, noting that DMDK, founded by the late actor-politician ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth, has been a movement combining nationalism and Dravidian ideals. She said the party would now be represented in Parliament for the first time through treasurer Sudhish.
“Our party has served the people through the Tamil Nadu Assembly so far. Through Sudhish, we will now discharge democratic duties at the national level,” she added.
Regarding the upcoming Assembly elections, Premalatha said that seat-sharing discussions within the DMK-led alliance would begin after the Rajya Sabha election results on March 16. “Committees will be formed by the alliance parties for seat-sharing talks. A DMDK delegation will hold discussions with the DMK leadership on the date announced by Chief Minister M K Stalin. The final decision on constituencies will be formally announced by him,” she explained.
Rejecting criticism about the party’s vote share, Premalatha said such remarks were rooted in prejudice and ignorance. She added that the DMDK would submit policy suggestions after the DMK releases its election manifesto, focusing on women, children, education, and healthcare.
Premalatha framed the upcoming contest as a battle between the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the NDA, expressing confidence that the DMK-led alliance would secure over 200 Assembly seats in the elections.