As part of the Left parties’ efforts to bring together political parties opposed to the BJP and its allies on a common platform, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury will meet DMK president M.K. Stalin on November 13.
Separately, Telugu Desam Party leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who recently held discussions with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, is also scheduled to meet Mr. Stalin in Chennai on November 9. The DMK leader had earlier extended support to Mr. Naidu’s efforts to build bridges with the Congress, saying it was the need of the hour for all non-BJP parties to come together on a common platform, as “corrupt, autocratic and divisive forces are destroying the democratic fabric of our country”.
On Wednesday CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan and senior leader T.K. Rangarajan met Mr. Stalin to finalise the meeting with their party general secretary.
“Mr. Stalin is also very keen to meet Mr. Yechury. He told us that political parties opposed to the BJP at the national level and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu should come together,” Mr. Balakrishnan told The Hindu.
Mr. Yechury will be in Chennai on November 13 and 14 to attend the party’s State committee meeting and he wanted to use the occasion to call on Mr. Stalin. Mr. Balakrishnan said Mr. Yechury planned to meet leaders of various regional parties to form a front against the BJP.
“But we will not have a uniform front across the country. We will form fronts in States depending on the ground realities,” he explained.
Asked about claims in political circles that parties like the VCK might not find a place in the DMK alliance, he said Mr. Stalin did not give any such impression and all the political parties that were already working together with the DMK on people’s issues were likely to fight the next Lok Sabha polls together.
No decision on bypolls
He said no decision had been taken so far on fighting the byelection to the 20 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu because it was not clear whether the election would be held separately or along with the Lok Sabha polls.
When asked about AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran’s reported position that his party was open to an alliance with the Left parties, Mr. Balakrishnan said that such an arrangement would never happen. “You should keep in mind that the MLAs affiliated to Dhinakaran voted for BJP candidate M. Venkaiah Naidu in the Vice-Presidential election without the BJP asking for their support. He still projects V.K. Sasikala — convicted in the disproportionate assets case — as general secretary of his party,” the CPI(M) leader said.
“We do not make any distinction between Dhinakaran and the AIADMK headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. It is the (internal) power struggle that has led to the AMMK being identified as a separate party. Otherwise, there is hardly any difference,” Mr. Balakrishnan contended.
