Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 21 : Thol. Thirumavalavan, founder-president of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party, on Saturday criticised AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, calling it a setback for the party.
Speaking with ANI, the VCK chief hailed the leadership of the AIADMK under former Chief Minsiter Jayalalithaa, stating that earlier Delhi leadership would arrive to meet her. Asking EPS to "protect the movement" of the party, he said that AIADMK should lead the alliance with the NDA.
"It is a pathetic one. Usually, Delhi people visit Madam Jayalalithaa's house. But now, AIADMK leaders, former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is waiting to meet Amit Shah and PM Modi in Delhi. I feel this is a setback for the AIADMK party. Anyhow, it is their problem. But one thing I would like to convey to our EPS is that at any cost, he has to protect the movement of social justice of AIADMK... AIADMK has to lead the alliance...," he said.
Regarding the seat-sharing talks with DMK for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, he said that the candidates will be announced once the ruling party provides the number of constituencies, which he described as a large process due to the joining of nearly 10 parties in the alliance.
"We will settle it amicably very soon. Before that, we have to get applications from the cadres who are willing to contest the forthcoming assembly elections across the state. From 234 constituencies, our office cadres are willing to apply. But it is not possible to get more seats to distribute among our cadres. based on the numbers we get from the DMK Alliance, we will decide later on... Nearly about 10 new parties have joined our alliance... DMK has to accommodate everyone in this alliance...," he stated.
His remarks come after Edappadi K Palaniswami's visit to Delhi, where the AIADMK leader said discussions on seat-sharing within the National Democratic Alliance are progressing and that details will be announced soon
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10.
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