"Will run govt with Left's support, advice": Tamil Nadu Minister Nirmal Kumar on CPM's call to skip alliance meeting

The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) will hold its crucial second alliance coordination meeting today at its party headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai. The CPI(M) has officially announced that it will not attend the meeting. CPI is also expected to skip the meeting.

Nirmal Kumar told reporters that the TVK will continue to take the Communist parties suggestions as they have their outside support.

Communist leaders have extended their support to the government. Communist Party is a national party and has its formalities at the national and state levels. It is an election-oriented program. They have extended their support and are with us. We will run the government with their support and advice, the TVK leader said.

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam has clarified that the party's support to the TVK government is issue-based, outside support to keep the government stable, and it does not want to join a formal alliance structure without cabinet berths.

The meeting is set to focus on formalising the structure and functioning of the ruling alliance. The meeting will be chaired by TVK founder and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The high-stakes meeting is expected to deliberate on key issues, including the formalisation of the post-poll coalition, drafting of a Common Minimum Programme, setting up of a steering committee, and finalising an official name for the alliance.

According to sources, invitations have been sent to all partners of the TVK-led alliance, including the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The meeting comes amid friction within the ruling bloc, with tensions between Congress-TVK over the PM candidate in the 2029 General Elections and the Left wanting to retain its independent nature. (ANI)