Congress, Left and ‘secular’ parties should come together to defeat BJP: VCK leader

Congress, Left and “secular” parties should come together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 general election, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan said in Coimbatore on Sunday.  The BJP, which according to him, did not speak about scientific or industrial development, employment opportunities but chose communal polarisation for securing votes, posed a threat to the society. To protect the country and defeat the BJP, it was necessary for the Congress, Left and other “secular” parties to join hands and fight the election, he told journalists.  The parties should also extend support to DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s efforts to forge a social justice front, for the disunity among secular parties should not pave way for the BJP’s return to power.  In his view, the BJP winning election in four of the five states that went to polls recently was not a big victory, as the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed. The party had only returned to power. In UP, in particular, the party had won in fewer seats than it won in the last Assembly election.  Had the Congress and other “secular” parties contested as one, the BJP would not have returned to power, Mr. Thirumavalavan felt and added it cannot be said that the BJP was in an advantageous position.  Welcoming the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court’s verdict in the Dalit youth Gokulraj murder case, the VCK leader said the verdict was a way forward in preventing “honour” killings. The State Government should frame a separate law to stop “honour killings” and as suggested by the Supreme Court the Government should also form a separate police wing to prevent communal tensions.