TVK alliance will strengthen further: Sengottaiyan

Newly-appointed chief coordinator of the high-level administrative committee of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) K.A. Sengottaiyan on Friday said the TVK alliance would strengthen further in December, with several former Ministers expected to join the party.

Returning to his home town after joining TVK in Chennai earlier this week, he addressed supporters from an open vehicle amid a rousing reception from cadres.

“Should only old parties rule? New parties must also come to power. Vijay has left cinema to serve the people,” he said. Claiming that TVK upheld internal democracy, he noted that the party had not objected to the use of Jayalalithaa’s photograph during his induction. “If I had removed the photographs of MGR and Jayalalithaa after 50 years, you would have called me a traitor. We stand to protect dharma,” he said.

Mr. Sengottaiyan said Mr. Vijay would emerge as a decisive force in the 2026 Assembly election and lead the next government in the State. He said he quit the AIADMK while staying true to the path laid by M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. “I worked tirelessly for Gobichettipalayam for many years and joined TVK to strengthen the movement. In this third generation of our politics, Vijay will become the people’s force,” he said.

Criticising AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami for what he described as a lack of humanity and equality, he said, “Time is changing. Vijay will take charge, and he will come to power.”