Post-poll shifts not news, says TN Congress leader, defends joining TVK camp

TIRUCHY: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Su Thirunavukkarasar on Monday defended the party’s decision to align with former ally DMK’s rival TVK, saying post-poll alliance realignments have been a normal feature of Tamil Nadu politics for decades, meanwhile urging parties switching camps to refrain from criticising their former allies.

Speaking to reporters, Thirunavukkarasar said alliance reshuffles after elections have been taking place in the State for over six decades and were nothing new. “Even today, the BJP has been splitting regional parties to secure a majority to form a government. Even factions within a party switch camps. It has become a new normal in politics,” he said.

However, he said parties that changed alliances after the polls should not attack the alliance they were part of until the elections. “Such criticism benefits no one. Political leaders should exercise restraint in their words,” he added.

Claiming that people had voted for change in the recently concluded elections, Thirunavukkarasar said public frustration with the DMK was reflected in the election results.