CHENNAI: The Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), headed by former Union Minister GK Vasan, on Sunday announced its exit from the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu, opening the door to a possible understanding with the DMK-led front, which recently lost Congress to the TVK.
Talking to reporters after an emergency meeting of the party's state office-bearers, district presidents and executive committee members here, Vasan said the TMC would hereafter function independently in Tamil Nadu with a distinct political identity.
He said more than 450 of the nearly 600 functionaries who attended the meeting had favoured an independent political course for the party, avoiding the alliance route.
"Based on the views expressed overwhelmingly by our cadre and office-bearers, we have decided to function independently. Our immediate focus is to strengthen the party from urban centres to villages ahead of the local body elections," Vasan said.
The TMC chief said the party, despite being in existence for 12 years, had failed to secure adequate representation in the Assembly and Parliament due to prolonged dependence on alliance politics.
"Continuous coalition politics weakened the party's grassroots structure and independent functioning. We now want to rebuild the organisation and revive cadre-based political activity," he said.
Vasan clarified that the decision was not triggered by differences with the BJP, AIADMK or other alliance partners.
"We are leaving the alliance on friendly terms. TMC has always respected the alliance dharma. We did not walk out after public criticism or confrontation," he said, while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss and other allies.
The TMC chief also said alliances were inevitable during elections and the party would take an appropriate call when the time came.
Highly placed sources in the party said Vasan was seriously exploring the possibility of aligning with the DMK for the local body elections and future electoral engagements, including the Lok Sabha polls, particularly after the Congress's exit from the DMK-led front.
Sources further said the TMC leadership was also keen on securing a Rajya Sabha berth as part of any future alliance arrangement and viewed the DMK as a more viable political space for the party's expansion than newer formations in the State.