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In its first participation in an agitation seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, on Thursday joined the Congress-led INDIA blocs protest in Chennai against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Amid ongoing protests in the national capital over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls,the Protect Democracy agitation was led by Congress MP B Manickam Tagore and the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), with leaders from all seven constituent parties participating in the protest. The protest marks TVKs first participation in a campaign seeking the CECs removal since the party joined the INDIA bloc on October 3. Among those participating were TVK leader and School Education Minister A Rajmohan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan, and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko. While speaking to ANI during the protest, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader SS Balaji said, "... When the CJP raised their voice against Dharmendra Pradhan for his resignation, it came out very soon... At the end of the day, justice prevails, and democracy wins. You have several national parties in the INDIA bloc. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, the number of parties is limited, and they (the TVK) have expressed their interest in joining the Tamil Nadu INDIA bloc... When the INDIA bloc meets at the national level, they will give their consent to the official entry of the TVK, but the TVK has joined the INDIA bloc..." Demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner, Congress MP Vijay Vasanth told ANI, "We are insisting on the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar... The Election Commission is working on behalf of the BJP, which is undemocratic... The BJP government does not listen to the people's voice... In order to add strength, the TVK government is also joining this protest today..." Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) chief KM Kader Mohideen, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary P Shanmugam, Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary M Veerapandian, and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) state secretary Pala Asaithamby also participated in the agitation. Nivedit Alva, the All India Congress Committee's in-charge for Tamil Nadu, was among the Congress functionaries present at the protest. The demonstration in Chennai also comes against the backdrop of a widening rift between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has distanced itself from Congress-led agitations and accused its former ally of betrayal. (ANI)
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