CHENNAI: The DMK and AIADMK have entered into a “political understanding” in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram bypolls, alleged Public Works Minister and TVK election campaign management general secretary Aadhav Arjuna on Wednesday, but added that the two opposition parties can only fight for the second and third spots.

Addressing a campaign meeting in support of TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel in Madurantakam, Aadhav alleged that the AIADMK had taken a ‘box’ from the DMK in Madurantakam, while the DMK had allegedly taken a ‘box’ to facilitate the AIADMK’s victory in Dharapuram.

“Did the AIADMK work in Madurantakam? They have taken the box from the DMK. In Dharapuram, the DMK has taken the box so that the AIADMK can win. This is the understanding between them,” he alleged. Hence, he claimed, voting for the AIADMK’s “two leaves” symbol was, politically, equivalent to voting for the DMK.

Aadhav said the TVK was confident of securing at least 1.20 lakh votes in Madurantakam and claimed that the party was in direct contest with the DMK and AIADMK.

He also attacked the AIADMK, saying it was no longer the party founded by MG Ramachandran or built by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. “The AIADMK founded by MGR and strengthened by Amma does not exist today. It ended after 2017,” he said.

Referring to the AIADMK candidate, he questioned the decision to field a person who, he alleged, had earlier been removed from the party during Jayalalithaa’s tenure.

Appealing to TVK functionaries to reach every household, Aadhav said the party would seek votes without discrimination based on caste or religion. He said Madurantakam needed industries and local employment so that young people would not have to travel to Chennai for work.

“Caste and religion must be set aside and development must reach everyone. This is what our leader Vijay keeps telling us,” he added.