Chennai, Sept 12:
The DMK on Friday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, branding him an “opportunist” and dismissing the ruling TVK-led alliance as an “Opportunistic Cash-box Alliance”.
The attack came through the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli, two days after the ruling alliance formally named itself the Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance. The DMK targeted Vijay over his decision to join hands with parties that he had criticised and dismissed as “and others” before the Assembly elections.
Murasoli said Vijay had now brought together the very parties that he had earlier described as “cash-box alliance parties”. Referring to the alliance’s new name, it sarcastically asked whether the same parties should now be called the “cash-box alliance parties” by Vijay’s own logic.
The DMK mouthpiece said Vijay had earlier considered these parties unworthy of even being named and had referred to them simply as “and others”. It sought to portray his present alliance with the Congress, VCK, MDMK and IUML as a complete reversal of his earlier political position.
The newspaper also recalled Vijay’s earlier criticism of the DMK-led alliance, including his remarks comparing it to a broken glass that had been glued together and a torn piece of cloth that had been stitched.
It said the same criticism could now be applied to the ruling alliance, referring to the photograph of Vijay with TNCC president B Manickam Tagore, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, IUML leader KM Kader Mohideen and MDMK general secretary Vaiko at the meeting where the alliance was formally named.
The DMK also questioned Vijay’s earlier criticism of the Congress. It recalled his allegation that the Congress had been “sold out” to the DMK and asked what Vijay had given in return to “buy” the Congress now.
The party further argued that Vijay’s TVK did not secure the 118 seats required for a simple majority in the 234-member Assembly and claimed that he had to depend on parties that had earlier been part of the DMK-led alliance.
Murasoli pointed out that five Congress candidates, two VCK candidates and two IUML candidates had won on the DMK alliance side, while two MDMK candidates were elected on the DMK’s Rising Sun symbol.
The DMK mouthpiece alleged that Vijay subsequently offered ministerial berths to alliance partners, claiming that two posts were offered to the Congress and one each to the VCK and IUML.
It also made allegations about the confidence vote, claiming that Vijay secured the support of 25 AIADMK MLAs by making promises relating to ministerial posts and board positions. The article further alleged that after proving his majority, the Chief Minister subsequently declared that those MLAs would not be given ministerial positions.
The DMK also alleged that a political strategy was worked out to persuade AIADMK MLAs to resign, join TVK and face by-elections.
As part of its criticism, Murasoli referred to comments attributed to MDMK general secretary Vaiko. It claimed Vaiko had said Vijay asked him to persuade two MDMK MLAs to resign, but that both legislators refused.
The DMK mouthpiece also cited earlier remarks by VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, who had questioned Vijay’s position on the BJP and accused him of attempting to break the DMK alliance. It contrasted those remarks with Thirumavalavan’s current position as an ally of Vijay.
The DMK said this demonstrated what it described as “opportunism” among the parties that had joined the TVK-led front.
Concluding its attack, Murasoli said the alliance lacked a political conscience and described it as an “Opportunistic Cash-box Alliance”, while adding that the term was being borrowed from Vijay’s own earlier political rhetoric.