Seeman hints at accepting the support of DMK and AIADMK in Ambasamudram byelection

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman on Friday hinted that he was open to accepting the support of the DMK and the AIADMK, if they chose to back him in the Ambasamudram Assembly constituency as and when a byelection is held there. He had recently hinted that he would contest the byelection.

At an interaction with journalists at Pasumpon after paying tributes to freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar, he wondered why he should not accept their support when he had been yearning for an election victory for long.

DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who also arrived here for paying tributes to the freedom fighter, did not directly respond to a query on backing Mr. Seeman. When asked if the NTK leader could be backed by the DMK, he said the byelection date should be announced first.

However, when asked whether he would be amenable to accepting the support of the two Dravidian parties, Mr. Seeman said, “Someone who is hungry will not reject a biryani offered to him.”

He clarified that his past criticism of the DMK and the AIADMK was ideological rather than personal. “I have criticised both parties, and even the TVK; but I have never made personal remarks about Mr. Stalin, [AIADMK leader] Edappadi K. Palaniswami, or even brother Vijay [TVK leader and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay],” he explained.

“It is well known that we are ‘revolutionaries’, not conventional politicians, and I do not come from a political background like other leaders,” Mr. Seeman added. He also asked why a party which had polled 36 lakh votes and an 8.5% vote share would not be approached for an alliance, when parties holding just 1% or 2% of the vote share were routinely invited to join an alliance.

Mr. Seeman clarified that while the NTK, the DMK, and the AIADMK had not made any formal announcement, it was evident that the TVK had initiated the rumour. Pointing to the past elections, he asked why similar questions were not raised during the Erode East by-election, in which the NTK took on the DMK directly, while the TVK, the AIADMK, and the BJP stayed out.

“I have opted to contest in the Ambasamudram by-election because the people expressed their wish to see me in the Assembly. If that is the case, why should not I face the TVK directly? Let us see who wins,” he said.

Mr. Stalin criticised the TVK government for its “failure” to maintain law and order and “inability” to control the rising inflation. He said people who had placed their trust in the TVK, “based on cinematic stunts” during the election, were now disappointed by its “misgovernance”.

Taking a jab at Mr. Vijay’s style of functioning, he said, “He comes in every morning wearing a coat and suit as if he was attending an office and leaves in the evening.” Asked about the inadequate police security provided to him, Mr. Stalin said he expected nothing from the government because his party cadre and leaders accompanied him to ensure his safety.