TMC also walks out on AIADMK

The AIADMK-led secular front has virtually collapsed, with a "hurt" TMC today joining the Left parties and the Congress in snapping its alliance with the ruling AIADMK.

The TMC, a key ally of the AIADMK in the May Assembly elections and the October civic elections, this morning announced that it would not support the party in the crucial February 21 byelections.

The TMC was consistently humiliated by the AIADMK over the past seven months. After initial reservations about antagonising the AIADMK, the TMC president, G. K. Vasan, finally had to bow to pressure from the CPI and CPI (M).

While the State CPI(M) announced its decision to break with the AIADMK last week, its State Committee this morning formally resolved to oppose the ruling party for its "ami- people measures".

Ironically, the TMC-AIADMK ties which crystallised in the February 2000 byelections in three Assembly constituencies comes to an end exactly two years later, just a month before another round of byelections.

After a one-hour discussion with office- bearers this morning, Mr. Vasan declared: "The TMC will oppose the BJP- inclusive DMK front and will not support the AIADMK too in the byelections". With the TMC's announcement, a third alternative front to both the DMK and the AIADMK has become a near-certainty in the byelections. However, the TMC appears not too keen on fielding candidates against the AIADMK general secretary, Jayalalithaa, in Andipatti or the other two constituencies. "A decision on the electoral strategy will be taken in consultation with the Left parties", Mr. Vasan said, parrying queries whether TMC candidates would be in the fray.

But Mr. Vasan came out unequivocally against the AIADMK and virtually laid a chargesheet against its Government.

"For the past six months, there has been no governance in the State". And, the Government was only resorting to anti-people measures such as hiking bus fare, power tariff ahd the prices of PDS rice and milk, which hit the poor and middle class hard.

'Allies humiliated'

More significantly, Mr. Vasan charged that the allies were not consulted by the Government on all decisions affecting the people. "The AIADMK appeared humiliating its allies".

The government machinery was being "misused" for the byelections and there was bogus inclusion of voters in the electoral lists in violation of "democratic norms".

Asked whether a secular front existed in the State, Mr. Vasan shot back: "We are there in the secular front, only the AIADMK is out of it".

However, Mr. Vasan rejected suggestions that a break in the ties with the AIADMK was a prelude to the TMC merging with the parent Congress.

RS byelection

On whether the decision to oppose the AIADMK was prompted by political exigencies, he said: "it is the decision of the cadres taken in the interest of the people".

Apart from the reasons listed by Mr. Vasan. the Rajya Sabha biennial election due in April also appears to have shaped the party's bypoll strategy.

After the AIADMK recently deprived Mr. Vasan of the Rajya Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the death of the TMC founder, G. K. Moopanar, the party with 22 MLAs has been pinning its hopes on the support of the Left parties and the Congress in the biennial poll.