To prevent the BJP from making any inroads in Tamil Nadu, various secular and progressive parties in the State have come together to launch a liberal, progressive and secular alliance. A beginning was made in this direction on Monday under the auspices of the Congress in Tamil Nadu.
What is unique about this mission is that the alliance is being moulded under the patronage of Kumari Ananthan, a former TNCC chief and father of Tamilisai Sounderrajan, president, Tamil Nadu BJP.
A meeting, held at the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee headquarters, was attended by most of the political parties in the State, except the BJP and the AIADMK. The lefts, CPI(M) and its poor cousin the CPI, graced the occasion and extended their greetings to the Congress for it’s effort to cobble up a grand “secular” alliance in the State against the BJP.
Interestingly, new TNCC chief EVKS Elangovan fielded Kumari Ananthan as the star of the show. Ananthan’s presence inspired veteran CPI leader R Nallakannu, CPI(M)’s A Soundararajan, Muslim league leader Khader Mohideen and other fringe party leaders to participate in the meeting.
Elangovan said this was the prelude to the coming together of all secular parties in the country. Nallakannu said the need of the hour was the coming together of all secular forces to prevent the further growth of the BJP in the country. This is the first time the CPI, CPI(M) and the Congress leaders share the same platform since 2004.
The CPI and the CPI(M) are no strangers to the Congress in Tamil Nadu. In 1999 and in 2004, the parties fought the lok Sabha election as alliance partners of the Congress.