Alliance with DMK will continue, says TNCC chief

Karur: The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President S.Thirunavukkarasar said on Sunday that no political party in Tamil Nadu was ready to forge an electoral alliance with the BJP.

Addressing a press conference at Karur, the Congress leader joined issue with the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi's allegation that the previous Congress Government had done nothing to the people except naming the Government schemes after their party leaders. 

Refuting Mr. Modi’s contentions, Thirunavukkarasar said there was nothing wrong to name government schemes in the name of the former Prime Minister who was in office for several years.  Counter-posing what were the achievements of the four-year-old Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, the TNCC leader said “to hide their mistakes, they are harping charges on the previous rulers.”

To a question, he said the Congress was continuing in the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu and the understanding will continue. He alleged that the ruling AIADMK did not fight against the GST as it is affecting only the people and not those in power in the state. 

The AIADMK was opposing simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and the Assembly, out of fear of being defeated in such a scenario, Thirunavukkarasar charged.

The TNCC leader also urged that those who were arrested for criticising the government should be released immediately. Later, addressing the Karur district party workers meeting Thirunavukkarasar pointed out that the Congress is the largest party in Tamil Nadu after the DMK and AIADMK.

He said the Tamil Nadu Congress has a membership strength of 35 lakh and it should be increased up to 50 lakh, besides establishing booth committees for all the 65,000 booths.

Thirunavukkarasar expressed the hope that a Congress-led front of opposition parties will win in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Among others, party's State Women's Wing secretary, Ms. Malathi, Congress Karur district president, R. Chinnasamy and others spoke.