No differences within PWF: Left leaders

Vaiko, in fact, went to the extent of even lauding Jayalalithaa for protecting the state’s rights on the Cauvery water sharing issue by approaching the Supreme Court. The MDMK leader, who strived hard and brought VCK, CPI, CPM, DMDK and TMC under one umbrella after several rounds of talks for the Assembly elections, lashed out at the DMK at the Apollo Hospitals after enquiring about the health of Jayalalithaa. 

On the contrary, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan opined that there should be an interim arrangement in the state, as the Chief Minister was hospitalised for a long time. However, Vaiko showered praise and wished the ailing Chief Minister speedy recovery and he had not demanded for an interim arrangement like his ally Thirumavalavan. The PWF convener said that there was no need for such an arrangement, while opposing DMK Treasurer MK Stalin’s demand that an interim or deputy Chief Minister should be appointed to handle matters like the Cauvery imbroglio. He even went on to say that he had collected doctor’s business cards in the Apollo Hospitals in the city. However, other political leaders in the alliance distanced themselves and said that both the leaders expressed their personal views and their talk would not reflect on the unity of the PWF. 

The alliance leaders further said that they would settle all issues through negotiations. A Marx, political analyst, said that sometime such different views would be expressed by leaders. “Though parties like CPI and CPI (M) earlier expressed divergent views on some issues, they remain united now. So, the views of Vaiko and Thirumavalan need not indicate a rift,” he said. However, if leaders during elections aired different opinions, then it might take a serious turn and even lead to collapse of an alliance. While everyone has a right to express his opinion, they should also ensure that their talk would not affect the allies or the alliance. G Ramakrishnan, state secretary, CPI(M) told DTNext that “there is no political motive behind the views expressed by the leaders in connection with the government situation or the issues faced by the state. Further, our basic principle to form an alternative government to Dravidian parties, to achieve which we came together as PWF during the Assembly polls, continues to hold good. But, we are not able to understand the logic behind naming a separate minister to handle portfolios hitherto held by the Chief Minister, who is indisposed.” The CPI (M) functionary opined that it need not be mandatory that all leaders within the alliance should express the same view on any given subject. Similarly, a VCK leader commented that the  speculation on split was wrong and the PWF is intact.