Congress's Vijay support 'dreadful': Aiyar slams party for alliance
What's the story
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has slammed his party's decision to ally with the Thalapathy Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). He called it a "dreadful" move that smacked of low political opportunism. The Congress had previously opposed the TVK in elections, but now decided to support them for a majority in the assembly. Aiyar said this decision violated Mahatma Gandhi's 1925 principle of Swaraj, being a government based on morality.
Political critique
'Political stupidity of not ensuring that he has a majority'
Aiyar also slammed the Congress for failing to ensure a majority for Vijay. He said, "We are left absolutely in limbo... We have (not only) committed the immorality of joining Vijay but also committed the political stupidity of not ensuring that he has a majority." The Congress had hoped other smaller parties would join them in supporting TVK, but this did not happen initially.
Alliance dynamics
Who will ever trust us again? Aiyar asked
However, smaller parties have now extended their support to Vijay, giving him a majority. Aiyar said the Congress won five seats due to its long-standing partnership with the DMK and not on its own merit. "If this gives the BJP a backdoor entry into the political ethos of Dravidian Tamil Nadu, it would prove the worst own goal in the history of political football. Who will ever trust us again?" he asked.
Political fallout
Congress extends conditional support to TVK
The Congress has now extended conditional support to the TVK, which won 108 seats under Vijay's leadership. The DMK was reduced to 59 seats, and the AIADMK won only 47. Despite this support, the TVK fell short of the halfway mark of 118. It also sought support from other parties like VCK (2), CPI (2), and CPM (4) to secure a majority in the Tamil Nadu assembly.