The Tamil Maanila Congress on Tuesday announced that it would contest the local body elections alone after attempts at forming a pre-poll alliance with the DMK were unsuccessful.
TMC president G.K. Vasan said the possibility of an alliance with the DMK ended when the party organ, Murasoli , carried a message from the party’s general secretary, K. Anbazhagan, asking its cadre to prepare for the election with the “existing” allies. “The message made it very clear that there will be no alliance with us,” Mr. Vasan said.
The TMC leader, on September 19, had called on Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin at his residence, sparking rumours of a pre-poll alliance. However, resistance from the Congress and newly-installed TNCC president Su. Thirunavukkarasar — who had met DMK chief M. Karunanidhi the same day — meant that the party decided to stick with the same coalition formed ahead of the Assembly polls earlier this year. “We were not consulted before the DMK took its decision,” Mr. Vasan said.
“Office-bearers in the districts have been asked to select suitable candidates and nominate them. If needed, the State leadership will step in to help. We will declare the names in 2 to 3 days,” he said.
