Over 300 members from the AIADMK, including former Minister Vellamandi Natarajan and former MLA Natraj, officially joined actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at the party's headquarters in Chennai on Thursday.
At the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) headquarters in Panaiyur near Chennai, more than 300 members from the AIADMK officially joined the party on Thursday. Among those who joined TVK were former AIADMK Minister Vellamandi Natarajan, Anna Trade Union Federation State Secretary Kamalakkannan, former AIADMK MLA from Mylapore Natraj, former AIADMK Minister Anandan, former Paramakudi AIADMK MLA Sadhan Prabhakar, Tirupathur City Secretary DT Kumar, and over 300 others. The induction took place in the presence of TVK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister N Anand, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sengottaiyan, and Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna.
Sengottaiyan Hails TVK's Success, Touts Vijay as 'Permanent CM'
Speaking earlier at the event, Minister Sengottaiyan said, "If there is any movement in Indian history that achieved success within just two years of its formation, it is Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. No matter how many alliances are formed, no one born on Tamil soil can defeat our movement in Tamil Nadu. The people have accepted a leadership capable of delivering a clean administration, and only he can achieve it. Not just tomorrow, but forever, Vijay will remain the permanent Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I have travelled with the Revolutionary Leader MGR, and I have also worked alongside the Revolutionary Leader Amma. Those who lacked faith have won, while those who trusted others have faced defeat."
Aadhav Arjuna on TVK's Rise and Governance
TN Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna then addressed the gathering, "We had already said that C Joseph Vijay would become Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of leaders honestly created by the people, such as Anna, MGR, and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma. Today, he is the Chief Minister. AIADMK members mocked Sengottaiyan for sitting with leaders from smaller parties. But he served as a minister in MGR's cabinet, Kumar served in Amma's cabinet, and now both are ministers in the leader Joseph Vijay's cabinet as well."
'Corruption-Free Tamil Nadu'
Arjuna also praised Chief Minister Vijay's leadership, saying, "The DMK and AIADMK are asking what achievement TVK has accomplished in just 15 days. Politics in Tamil Nadu has always spoken about protecting secularism. Today, our leader has united Congress, IUML, VCK, and others. Today, there is no corruption in the name of a 'Chief Minister's fund,' nor corruption through ministers' funds. Corruption in sand mining, the Public Works Department, CMDA, and many other departments has disappeared. Chief Minister Vijay has created a corruption-free Tamil Nadu."
"Administrative change for the benefit of the people itself is victory. Without even informing you, they left. Stalin had said that one must at least inform before becoming a minister. The DMK is one party, just like Congress and IUML are separate parties. Yet they question why independent parties take their own decisions. That dominance mentality must be thrown away. People united to eliminate this dominance," Arjuna further said.
Arjuna Alleges AIADMK-DMK Alliance, Prompting Exodus
He also alleged that Palaniswami's political moves after the election defeat led to growing dissatisfaction within the party and prompted more members to join TVK. "After the death of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, AIADMK cadres could not accept the decisions taken by the party's General Secretary. It is because of the pain of Amma's absence that AIADMK members have come towards Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. What conspiracy is there in this? On the day they faced defeat, Stalin and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami allegedly attempted to form an alliance with several industrialists. I have a question for Edappadi Palaniswami. - How can someone with only 47 MLAs become Chief Minister? How can you claim leadership with just 47 MLAs? This is what CV Shanmugam and Vijayabaskar themselves had said. Only later did it become clear that their plan was to make Udhayanidhi Stalin the Chief Minister and Edappadi Palaniswami the Deputy Chief Minister. Unable to accept this, communist movements extended their support," Arjuna added.
Arjuna said TVK had not lured any MLAs to join the party and welcomed all entrants as part of one family. "Baby says that if they had not supported us, the DMK, AIADMK, and BJP might have formed a government together, which would have gone against the people's mandate. We did not invite any MLA to TVK by offering inducements. We welcome everyone who comes here with affection, like members of one family. It is this feeling that has encouraged even sitting AIADMK MLAs to leave their party, contest elections honestly, win, and stand with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. It is because AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami decided to align with the DMK that many AIADMK cadres are now ready to leave the AIADMK and join TVK. OPS, who was made Chief Minister by Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, also joined the DMK for the same reason. The same DMK that once discarded Amma is the party that O Panneerselvam has now joined," he said.
"Likewise, many chose Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam so they would not have to join the DMK. Within one month, 90% of AIADMK members are expected to join Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, he claimed. Therefore, I request the TVK General Secretary to conduct membership drives every Saturday," Arjuna added.
Minister N Anand Promises Respect, Predicts Panchayat Poll Sweep
Rural Development Minister N. Anand then said, "Those who come to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will always receive respect. That respect will never diminish. Even if we are ministers, all of you are one among us. Thirty-three years ago, those who travelled on bicycles and pasted posters believing that our leader would become a superstar are the same people who are ministers today. Under no circumstances will our Chief Minister look down on anyone. All of you must work together with him. You will definitely receive due respect here. Positions for all of you will be announced soon."
"In the upcoming panchayat elections, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will win in all 234 constituencies. Many TVK legislators became MLAs by spending only Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. This victory was achieved because of the face and leadership of Vijay. Under no circumstances will we engage in corruption," Anand added. (ANI)
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