Chennai, June 20:
CPM state secretary P. Shanmugam has defended the Left parties’ decision to extend outside support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, saying it was necessary to prevent President’s Rule and honour the people’s mandate for political change beyond the DMK-AIADMK binary.
In an article in Theekathir, he responded to criticism from DMK supporters, explaining that the CPM considered three options after the election: supporting TVK, backing an AIADMK government with DMK support, or risking President’s Rule. “The first responsibility was to prevent President’s Rule,” he said, alleging it would place the state under the BJP-led Union government.
Shanmugam maintained that TVK, as the single largest party with 108 seats, had the right to form the government and should have been invited first to prove its majority on the Assembly floor.
He said the verdict reflected a clear desire for change, noting that nearly 1.72 crore voters backed an alternative to both DMK and AIADMK. Rejecting the idea of supporting an AIADMK-led government, he termed it “blatant opportunism” and against the people’s mandate.
Shanmugam also argued that limiting governance to Dravidian parties would deny space for emerging political forces. He attributed TVK’s rise to dissatisfaction with the previous DMK government, citing issues like corruption allegations, delayed welfare delivery, and social concerns.
Dismissing criticism of Chief Minister Vijay’s lack of experience, he drew parallels with former leaders M.G. Ramachandran and N.T. Rama Rao.
He clarified that CPM’s support is conditional, with the party set to back pro-people measures while opposing policies harmful to workers and farmers. The party will also monitor the government’s performance on jobs, inequality, corruption, and delivery of promises.
Calling the election a turning point, Shanmugam said it marked a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.