DMK not to accept independent Kerala MLA PV Anvar in its fold

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is in alliance with the CPI-M in Tamil Nadu, has categorically stated that the party would not accept Independent MLA from Kerala, P.V. Anvar, who won on Left support.

Anvar has, of late, raised allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and was promptly expelled from the CPI-M parliamentary party of which he was a member.

The estranged MLA, who has announced that he would float a new political party, was in Chennai on Saturday and had a meeting with a few DMK leaders including minister Senthil Balaji and there were rumours that Anvar would become part of DMK.

The DMK unit of Kerala had also proposed the top leadership to include Anvar in the party.

DMK leader and party spokesperson, TKS Elangovan, told media persons that the party would not include Anvar in its fold as he was expelled from the CPI-M parliamentary party.

Elangovan also said that Anvar has been regularly criticising CPI-M leader and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

This will be a major setback for P.V. Anvar who was trying to enter into the DMK but the political stand of the DMK has thrown a spanner in his move.

However, Anvar has also met the Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji who is a powerful leader of the DMK in Western Tamil Nadu and is very close to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. It has to be seen whether Balaji will put pressure on Stalin for the entry of Anvar to DMK.

Sources in the DMK told IANS that the party would not include Anvar as the DMK has excellent rapport with the CPI-M leadership.

K.R. Ramanandan, a retired professor of political science and social activist from Chennai while speaking to IANS, said, “DMK is a political party which gives undue leverage to its allies and will never include a person like Anvar who has been vehemently criticising Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.”