Chennai, March 22 Ahead of the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi announced on Sunday that it was quitting the DMK-led SPA, with its founder T Velmurugan objecting to the ruling party's "big brother" attitude.
The decision was also taken because the party felt it was being "ignored," Velmurugan, the incumbent MLA from the Panruti (Cuddalore dt) Assembly segment, told reporters here.
"We were told during seat-sharing negotiations that we would be allocated one seat for the Assembly elections. We have been raising a set of demands, including regarding social justice. We were told that when other parties are not asking for any demands, why you are making such demands," Velmurugan said.
"I have repeatedly asked the government to fulfill at least some of the demands. But the DMK has been ignoring it," he claimed.
On his future course of action, he said that his organization would not join the NDA in Tamil Nadu and indicated that he was talking to some parties about forming an alliance.
Further, "we have been making a list of demands to the negotiation panel (of the DMK). I have been informing them that there is no problem with the allocation of seats, but they should take immediate steps to fulfill these demands," he said.
Recalling that he had been raising these demands in the legislative assembly for several years, Velmurugan alleged that "the DMK-led government did not care about them."
During seat-sharing negotiations, Velmurugan claimed, the approach of the election panel of the DMK was like a "big brother".
"We were told that when political parties including Congress, Communists, and MDMK did not place any such demands, as a legislator and the representative of a small party, they did not deem it fit for us to give such demands and ask them to be fulfilled," he said.
"Treating us like this is not acceptable," Velmurugan added.
He accused some officials of complaining to Chief Minister MK Stalin and his ministers that he was constantly "causing trouble" to the government, Velmurugan alleged.
He questioned why the DMK government was refusing to conduct a Caste Census in the state.
"How can the DMK walk the path of social justice while keeping forces against social justice by its side? When states like Odisha, Bihar conducted a caste census, why did the DMK not respect my voice," he asked.
Maintaining that he had been in the DMK-led alliance for five years and successfully contested under the Dravidian party's 'Rising Sun' symbol in the 2021 elections, he expressed his gratitude to Stalin and the alliance parties who wanted him to continue in the alliance.
"In accordance with the decision taken collectively by our party's executive committee, general council, and political leadership committee, and based on the powers given to me, I announce that from today, the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi is withdrawing from the DMK-led alliance," he said.
The DMK leads the multi-party Secular Progressive Alliance, and its constituents include Congress and Left parties.
Meanwhile, responding to the party's exit from SPA, DMK General Secretary and state minister Durai Murugan said, "When someone leaves an alliance, will they say it is a good government and that is why we are leaving?"
"They will only leave by saying that this regime is not good. This is just what is habitually said (by parties whenever they quit an alliance)."
Asked whether further talks may be held with Velmurugan, he said, "negotiations are not my subject. Leave me out of it."