Dravidian parties: VCK, CPI (M) not on same page

Differences have cropped up among the constituents of the People’s Welfare Front (PWF) on the political approach towards the DMK and the AIADMK.

A day after Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol Thirumavalavan said that an anti-DMK, anti-AIADMK plank may not work in the next Lok Sabha polls, CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan on Wednesday sought to differ with the former.

“Our views are different. An alternative front to both the DMK and the AIADMK is not just based on the issues of implementing prohibition and fighting corruption,” Mr. Ramakrishnan told

The Hindu .

He argued that the DMK and the AIADMK had been following the neo-liberal economic policies of the Congress and the BJP governments at the Centre and their views on many social issues were also identical. “They are not prepared to do anything to prevent or condemn honour killings in Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Ramakrishnan added.

Pointing out why the communist parties could not go soft on the Congress in the name of opposing the communal BJP, he said the Congress had lost its place to the BJP in the 2014 polls because of its neo-liberal and anti-people economic policies.

“We have to fight both communalism and neo-liberal polices as both of them are equally dangerous to the nation. Moreover, we are only opposing the DMK and the AIADMK and not all the Dravidian parties,” he said.

Asked about Mr. Thirumavalavan’s proposal to contest the upcoming local body polls as part of the PWF, Mr. Ramakrishnan said in the name of political tactics, parties could not compromise on their political position. “Anyway, the Lok Sabha polls are three years away and we will be contesting the local body polls together,” he said.