DMK will take part in VCK's anti-liquor meet: Thirumavalavan

CHENNAI: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan, after calling on Chief Minister M K Stalin here on Monday said that the ruling DMK will take part in his party's anti-liquor conference on October 2 in Kallakurichi and asserted that the ties between his party and the DMK continued to be smooth.

Thirumavalavan's meeting, along with his party leaders, with Stalin at DMK headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam' comes against the backdrop of VCK's 'share in power' ideological slogan grabbing attention and also in the wake of the party inviting DMK's arch rival AIADMK as well to the meet against liquor next month.

The VCK top leader told reporters that DMK founder and former Chief Minister C N Annadurai had been steadfast in ensuring liquor ban and also had urged the Centre to enforce prohibition as per Article 47 of the directive principles of state policy under the Constitution. Former CM, late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi held the same view. The VCK chief said his party gave a representation to Stalin to urge the Centre to implement the directive principle.

Stalin, after perusing the VCK's appeal, told them that DMK's policy is implementation of prohibition and party leaders RS Bharathi and TKS Elangovan would take part in the October 2 meet. Thirumavalavan said that the CM, further conveyed to him that the state government would take up the matter of bringing nationwide prohibition with the Centre.

The CM told him that there was no difference of opinion in bringing prohibition into force in Tamil Nadu. However, taking into consideration administrative problems, the CM conveyed to him that implementation of liquor ban in a phased manner would be considered.

The VCK chief emphasised that there are no issues whatsoever in ties between his party and the DMK and that the relationship 'is smooth,' which is evidenced by CM Stalin nominating his party representatives to take part in the conference.

To a question on his party line of 'share in power,' Thirumavalavan said his party would talk about that at the time of election.

Furthermore, Thirumavalavan said the anti-liquor conference to urge implementation of prohibition is for a common cause concerning people's welfare and hence, it was his party's 'common appeal' to all parties committed to prohibition to join forces.

"This (conference) should not be linked to elections. This is my common appeal (to support prohibition/take part in meet) to all." The Centre should be pressurised to enforce a nationwide ban on liquor and the union government conducts itself as if it had no responsibility over the matter," Thirumavalavan said.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai said his party is for prohibition and to a question on VCK's stand that its anti-liquor meet is beyond elections/alliances, he said, "there is nothing without politics...politics and meetings cannot be considered separately; everything is politics." Congress party is another key ally of the DMK.