Lets join hands, Thiruma tells smaller parties

CHENNAI: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol Thirumavalavan has invited all parties left in the lurch by the AIADMK and DMK to form an alliance to face the coming local body elections. Saying that the DMDK was too big a party for such an exercise, Thirumavalavan laid out his offer to parties such as the PMK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), the Muslim outfits and other small parties.“The Dravidian parties keep abusing their alliance partners. They use us and dispose of us at will. This is but a show of their authoritarian mindset, because of they have ignored the allies. The allies should have at least been consulted before the release of lists of candidates. This is most improper,” said Thirumavalavan.He also said that his invitation to form an alliance also extended for the by-poll due in Tiruchy West.“For a long time now, there has been no alternative between the two major Dravidian parties. The precedent of all the other parties coming together needs to be set now,” said Thirumavalavan, even as he steered clear of PMK leader Ramadoss’s stance that no party should join in alliance with the Dravidian parties.Responding to reporters’ queries on the feasibility of the alliance called for by the VCK, Thirumavalavan insisted that parties that could not take stage together for even common causes could come together for elections.Thirumavalavan hit out at the AIADMK government, saying it had information on the breakup of the wards beforehand and had done a number of things to engineer a favourable result. “There is no way these polls will be held in a free and fair manner. The result will be to the liking of the ruling party,” said Thirumavalavan.