- Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ruled out alliance with BJP for Tamil Nadu elections
- TVK leader Arun Raj said Vijay faced BJP pressure via CBI probes and film issues
- TVK criticised DMK for rushing alliance talks due to fear of TVK's growing support
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Friday ruled out an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections, claiming that party chief Vijay was pressurised to ally but he "remained firm".
Arun Raj, TVK general secretary for propaganda and policy, alleged that pressure on Vijay from the BJP intensified through CBI inquiries and film-related issues. "Despite all these pressures, he has clearly stated that there will be no alliance with communal forces. What more needs to be said?" he said.
Recalling Vijay's statement at Mamallapuram that there would be no alliance with communal forces, Raj said such a stand leaves no room for claims that Vijay has not spoken against the BJP.
"At the first conference, Vijay clearly declared the BJP as an ideological opponent. It takes great courage to openly declare both the ruling party at the state and the ruling party at the Centre as opponents. In many ways, pressure was exerted by the ruling party at the Union level. But the leader's stand is very clear. You know what he said in Mamallapuram. He clearly stated that there will be no alliance with communal forces. No one can give a clearer stand than this. Therefore, it cannot be accepted when people say that he has not spoken against the BJP," the TVK leader said.
Vijay has all along called the saffron party his ideological enemy and ruled out an alliance with it, directly or indirectly, suggesting no truck with the AIADMK either, which has revived ties with the BJP.
The 51-year-old superstar has made headlines over the past few months. In September last year, 41 people were killed in a stampede at a rally Vijay addressed in Tamil Nadu's Karur. He has been investigated by the CBI in this connection and was questioned twice in Delhi.
On alliances, Raj said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had announced that talks would begin on February 22, but the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMK) joined earlier than expected. "This showed DMK's fear, and it rushed to ally due to the growing public support for TVK. DMK had aligned with a losing party and would face defeat together," he said.
Tamil Nadu is set to go to the polls this year, with the main contest expected between the DMK and the AIADMK. The DMK-led alliance includes parties such as the Indian National Congress, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and others. Meanwhile, the AIADMK is leading the National Democratic Alliance, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (PMK), the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), and other parties.
Vijay's TVK will contest elections for the first time.
(With inputs from ANI)
