TVK Minister To NDTV On Why Vijay Sarkar Will Defy Opposition's Bad Wishes

Tamil Nadu's new Health Minister KG Arunraj has dismissed concerns over the stability of the fresh TVK-led coalition government, saying the alliance is built on shared ideology rather than political convenience. He also took a swipe at the Opposition.

"The DMK and AIADMK ministers are experienced in how to manipulate the system, how to squeeze it for their own well-being. They are very, very experienced in corruption," Arunraj told NDTV today in one of the first media interviews from the newly formed cabinet.

"We may be inexperienced in governance, but we are very, very experienced in our principles," he said.

The coalition comprising TVK, IUML and VCK with the Left providing outside support has 121 MLAs in the 234-seat assembly. The DMK has said the new government will not last a full term, which Arunraj dismissed as a case of sour grapes.

"This is not a political alliance. This is an ideological alliance. We share common principles such as the state's rights, secular social justice and opposition to fascist tendencies. That is what gives strength to this alliance," Arunraj said, adding the TVK government is not anxious or worried about anything. "We are confident and we want to deliver on the expectations."

He denied the Left's outside support may become a source of instability, saying corruption and maladministration will never happen under the TVK and so the Left won't get any excuse to withdraw support.

"When there is good governance, when people are happy, when people feel that this is a party which they voted for and they are doing good, why would they withdraw support at the cost of getting the anger of the people? Any politically-savvy party will never do it," Arunraj said.

Tamil Nadu has never had a coalition government in its six-decade post-reorganisation history. The government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, or Vijay Sarkar, had highlighted power-sharing as a founding principle at the party's very first conference in Vikramondi. Arunraj said delivering on that commitment was itself a political milestone.

"Previously, these parties came to power based on alliance strength. But after the elections, they had never had any intention of giving sharing power to their alliance partners. This is against democratic principles. Unlike them, our leader delivered on it," the health minister told NDTV.

He said the alliance would hold good for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections because they share "common ideology, common values... which are not only for the good of the state, but also for the good of the country."

The Centre-state relations are already showing fault lines though. At the Lok Bhavan, the state anthem was played last, triggering a row over it. Arunraj, however, said the TVK would push back firmly on issues it considers non-negotiable.

"Education funds are not being released. There are ideas like One Nation One Election, issues with the CAA, issues which affect minorities. Whenever these sorts of issues are there, we are very, very firm that we oppose the Union government's move," Arunraj said, adding they want to work with the Centre for "the common good of the people since India is a federal state".

In his department, Arunraj said his immediate focus would be fixing the experience of visiting a government hospital. "People tend to go to private hospitals even if they do not have money because the faith in the government system has gradually decreased. Even the poor and middle class want to go to private hospitals at the cost of borrowings," the minister told NDTV.

Earlier today, Vijay completed his cabinet expansion exercise by inducting two more MLAs, a Dalit from the VCK and an IUML leader, making it a rainbow ministry that also has Brahmins.