Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder Thol. Thirumavalavan, who has emerged as an important “anti-Hindutva” face in Tamil Nadu, is bringing together the leaders of major political parties for a public rally in Tiruchi on December 23 to mark his party’s completion of 25 years in electoral politics.
He has announced that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary D. Raja will participate in the rally.
Mr. Thirumavalavan had organised a similar rally in Tiruchi before the 2019 Lok Sabha election, in which he gave a clarion call to fight against ‘Sanathan forces’, setting the tone for the ensuing campaign. VCK sources said the party was hoping to set a similar tone for the upcoming election.
Though party sources said they would like to ensure the participation of more leaders from the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties in the rally, titled ‘Democracy will win‘, it is unlikely, given the upcoming State elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram.
Speaking to The Hindu, D. Ravikumar, Villupuram MP and a trusted aide of Mr. Thirumavalavan, said the public meeting will see the participation of Tamil Nadu leaders from parties in the INDIA bloc.
“We have called three national leaders of three major parties. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu will be the main special guest. There will be a rally of all INDIA parties at the national level, which will be organised by the DMK,” Mr. Ravikumar said.
Reiterating that the VCK was firmly in the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu (INDIA), despite the AIADMK pulling out of the National Democratic Alliance, Mr. Ravikumar said the VCK stood firm in its opposition to the politics espoused by the BJP, and had called for a united Opposition against the BJP.
“Though the VCK is a small party, it has been talking about a united Opposition for a while now, and we have also been reiterating this to Opposition leaders in our own way. We want the BJP to be dethroned to secure the future of Dalits, minorities and OBCs and safeguard the Constitution,” he said.
