CPIM, TVK at odds? Left party hits out at Vijay's party over Tamil Nadu bypolls

CPI(M), which supports the ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu, launched a fresh round of criticism against Chief Minister Joseph Vijay-led party over the upcoming bypolls, accusing the party of forcing an election on voters for political gain. The remarks fuelled a fresh discussion over an alleged rift between the Left parties and the TVK.Senior CPI(M) leader P Shanmugam asserted that the TVK should take full responsibility for the bypolls, which he linked to the resignation of two AIADMK MLAs.The bypolls in two constituencies -- Madurantakam and Dharapuram -- were necessitated after two AIADMK leaders who had won the seats resigned and joined the TVK. The TVK has fielded the same leaders as its candidates in the bypolls."This election is forcibly imposed on the people. It is because of TVK that this bypoll is happening. The two candidates who won on an AIADMK ticket were made to resign for political gains," Shanmugam said. He questioned what assurances the TVK had allegedly given the two MLAs before they resigned. "If they hadn't given any promise to those candidates, they wouldn't have resigned," he said.Taking a further swipe at the TVK's campaign, Shanmugam claimed the party's candidates were facing resistance from voters and said the electoral battle was not in the TVK's favour. "Election is not favourable for TVK. It is not like before. Their candidates are being chased away by voters," he said, adding that the results in both constituencies would "for sure" not be favourable to the TVK.Shanmugam also claimed that the TVK's decision to campaign in the constituencies for only two days reflected the party's weakness."The fact that they have to come here for two days to show their face for campaign shows they are weak," he said.Despite the attack, Shanmugam maintained that the Left's position on extending outside support to the TVK had not changed.The controversy centres on the decision of Kumaravel and Sathyabama to leave the AIADMK shortly after winning their respective seats and contest again under the TVK banner. The AIADMK has nominated new candidates in both constituencies, while the Left parties have entered the contest separately despite their outside support to the TVK government.The differences between the CPI(M) and the TVK government have become visible over several issues in recent times. Some of the issues include the proposed Secretariat complex, privatisation of civic infrastructure and allegations of corruption involving the previous DMK government.On September 19, the CPI(M) staged a protest in Chennai against the TVK government's proposal to construct a new Secretariat-Assembly complex at Foreshore Estate near the Marina beachfront.The party demanded that the proposal be withdrawn, arguing that the project would affect fishermen and their residential neighbourhoods and that the surrounding area was already heavily congested.Shanmugam described the proposal as "flawed and unacceptable" and said an all-party meeting should be convened to discuss alternative sites."Whoever may have proposed this site, it is unacceptable and must be rejected," he said.In another recent instance, the CPI(M) also criticised the TVK government's decision to privatise underground sewerage projects in Madurai and Nagercoil corporations under the Public-Private Partnership model.In a statement on Wednesday, the party demanded the immediate cancellation of the tenders.Shanmugam described the government's move as "shocking", arguing that handing over essential public infrastructure to corporate entities for profit was an "anti-people" initiative.The party alleged that water supply distribution in Coimbatore was privatised during the AIADMK regime, while a similar attempt involving Salem's water scheme under the previous DMK government had faced strong public resistance.The differences between the CPI(M) and the TVK have also surfaced over allegations of corruption during the previous DMK regime.Shanmugam had earlier challenged the TVK government to act on the corruption evidence it claimed to possess against the DMK instead of questioning the Left parties' record.His remarks came after Public Works and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna asked the Left parties to speak up about alleged corruption during the previous DMK regime.Shanmugam, however, turned the question back on the TVK government and said, "Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has repeatedly claimed that three crucial files containing evidence of corruption and irregularities (in the DMK regime) are sitting on his desk, ready to be opened."- Ends