TMC first party in TN to firm up alliance with BJP

CHENNAI: In its attempt to forge a non-DMK, non-AIADMK bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP on Monday struck an alliance with GK Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) in Tamil Nadu, with the regional party expressing hope more organisations will join the NDA in the state.

The BJP state unit hailed Vasan and said his advice will be used in the coming days to guide the alliance.

Addressing a press conference here, the former union minister said TMC, ever since the days of founding by Moopanar, has had a “national outlook.” The decision to join hands with the BJP included issues like welfare of Tamil Nadu and Tamils and a strong and prosperous India.

“Today, economic growth and security of the nation is very important. Uplift of poor people is more important, infrastructure is very important. We are going to be the third economic power in the world. All this put together, TMC wants a government, a Prime Minister who can really achieve this,” he said and lauded the BJP and PM Narendra Modi for delivering in various sectors in the last decade.

“Tamil Maanila Congress, as part of NDA will face the coming elections under BJP’s leadership,” he said, adding he will attend PM Modi’s public meeting at Palladam in Tirupur district on Tuesday.

Vasan’s announcement marks the first official tie-up the BJP has managed to forge in Tamil Nadu ahead of the polls, amidst its attempts to create a grouping other than those headed by the ruling DMK and the AIADMK.

Part of the AIADMK-led NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu that faced the 2021 Assembly polls, Vasan’s announcement signals his party’s end of ties with the main opposition party in the state.

Vasan said the “alliance with BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is for respectability, for mutual understanding and for the goal of achieving a powerful India and a prosperous Tamil Nadu.” Further, the alliance was based on trust, Vasan, who was Shipping minister in the Congress-led UPA II regime, said.

Tamil Nadu voters had witnessed BJP winning the two earlier elections (2014, 2019) with good support from other states and want the saffron party to earn a third term to ensure economic development, betterment of the poor. They have ‘realised’ that another term under PM Modi will lead to economic prosperity and reduction in poverty, among others, Vasan added.

“The DMK government has become anti-people. The burden it has put on people-- increase in milk prices, power tariff-- are some examples...it has failed to reflect the aspirations of the common people.” He said TMC firmly believes that Tamil Nadu will pave the way for another ‘good regime’ at the Centre under the BJP. More parties could join the BJP-led alliance in the coming days, he added.