NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president Manickam Tagore on Saturday described the participation of actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the INDIA bloc’s Tamil Nadu meeting as a “historic day”, saying the party’s entry would strengthen the opposition alliance in the state.An INDIA bloc meeting was held at the TNCC office in Chennai under Tagore’s leadership, with Congress, TVK, CPM, CPI, VCK, MDMK and IUML participating. The meeting focused on the opposition’s demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and its broader campaign over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.According to ANI, TVK was represented at the meeting by party leaders Aadhav Arjuna and Maria Wilson.Addressing reporters after the meeting, Tagore said Vijay-led TVK had joined the INDIA bloc and said its entry would strengthen the bloc in Tamil Nadu.“Vijay-led TVK has joined the INDIA alliance. It’s a very historic day for the INDIA alliance. The INDIA alliance, particularly in Tamil Nadu, is to be strengthened by the entry of TVK,” Tagore said, according to ANI.Tagore also linked the development to the opposition’s political contest with the BJP, saying the fight against the BJP and the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would become “interesting” in Tamil Nadu.The meeting also decided to intensify protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Tagore said INDIA bloc parties would hold demonstrations at district headquarters across Tamil Nadu, followed by a joint protest in Chennai on October 15.“We have decided to have the district-level demonstrations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. We demand his resignation,” Tagore said, adding that the participating parties would release the list of leaders taking part in the demonstrations.He said all seven parties participating in Saturday’s meeting would join the Chennai protest on October 15.MDMK general secretary Vaiko said the meeting had welcomed TVK’s participation and appreciated the presence of its leader, Vijay. He also announced a series of statewide rallies against the Chief Election Commissioner on October 13, 14 and 15, according to ANI.
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“This meeting has welcomed the decision of the TVK and appreciated the participation of C Joseph Vijay,” Vaiko said. He added that the rallies would demand the removal of Gyanesh Kumar from the post of Chief Election Commissioner.TVK’s participation in the Tamil Nadu meeting comes amid a broader opposition campaign against the Election Commission over the SIR exercise, electoral rolls and other election-related issues.Top INDIA bloc leaders had met at the Constitution Club on September 30 to discuss alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls, concerns over electronic voting machines and the demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
