Vijay's swing from Congress to BJP raises questions on TVK's ideology: CPM leader Shanmugam

CHENNAI: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam criticised actor-politician Vijay, questioning his political approach and accusing him of shifting positions between parties, noting that the fledgling party, which was till recently in talks with Congress for an alliance, is reportedly in secret negotiations to join the BJP-led front on the opposite spectrum.

Addressing an election fund-raising rally in Tiruvannamalai on Sunday, Shanmugam asked, “What kind of politics is this?” He added that if another party invited Vijay, he might also hold talks with them.

On the other hand, the CPM’s relationship with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was based on a clear political understanding, he said. While the Left parties supported the DMK government, they also openly expressed disagreements in public forums and, when necessary, in the Assembly, he said.

Shanmugam took a dig at Vijay, saying that by seeking a CBI probe into the Karur tragedy, he has allowed himself to fall into the grasp of the BJP ruling at the Centre. He also hit out at the BJP for using investigative agencies as political tools and said the party’s approach was either to persuade or intimidate political opponents.

He said the secular alliance led by the DMK had been functioning for eight years, and that discussions on seat-sharing were underway. The CPM, he added, had sought a number of constituencies proportionate to its strength and negotiations with the DMK leadership were continuing.

The CPM leader expressed confidence that seat-sharing talks within the alliance would conclude amicably in the coming days. He said the secular alliance's goal is not just to secure victory in polls, but also to ensure the divisive BJP or its allies don't get a foothold in the State.