Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India]: Tamil Nadu Congress General Secretary Saravanan has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, demanding Cabinet berths for his party and all other alliance partners of the DMK in the state.
“I have written a letter to Chief Minister Stalin, saying that all alliance parties should be given their due importance by sharing with them Cabinet berths. What I have expressed in the letter is the views of my party workers,” Saravanan told.
He pointed out actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party chief Vijay’s statement that his party would share power with its potential alliance partners when they form government in the event of an election victory.
Saravanan said that the Congress has been out of power in the state since 1967 when the Kamaraj-led Congress government was defeated by the DMK. He added that now is the right time for the DMK to induct the members from its alliance partners into the State Cabinet.
“After Kamarajar, Congress has not been in power in the state and this is the right time for the DMK to share the cabinet berths with its alliance partners. TVK chief Vijay said that he would share the cabinet posts with alliance parties and give importance to them. So I thought, Stalin would do this now only in 2024, so I have raised this issue. He should take a decision,” Saravanan said.
He said that though the DMK alone has the majority in the Assembly, the party should share Cabinet ministerial positions with its alliance partners.
“There are many states in India like Jharkhand where 4 to 5 Cabinet posts are given alliance parties. It’s not only we but other parties in the alliance have also asked for Cabinet berths,” he said.
Earlier, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, another DMK ally in the state, also demanded a Cabinet berth.
These parties have been more assertive after Vijay’s declaration that he is open to sharing power with allies in his party’s first public rally in Vikravandi on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu law minister S Regupathy on Monday targeted Actor Vijay’s Tamilga Vatri Kajhgam (TVK) party, saying that the party is not an A team or B team, but the BJP’s C team.
He further added that Sunday’s TVK public meeting was more like a grand film than a real meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu law minister S Regupathy said, “Actor Vijay’s TVK (Tamilga Vatri Kajhgam) party is not an A team or B team, but it is BJP’s C team. It is clear that the Dravidian model of governance cannot be removed from the minds of the people. Yesterday’s TVK public meeting was more like a grand film than a real meeting.”