The various Tamil Nadu leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) met at the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s (TNCC) headquarters in Chennai on Saturday and formally welcomed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) into the alliance, led by the Congress nationally. The meeting was chaired by TNCC president B. Manickam Tagore.

At the meeting, it was also decided that ‘Save Democracy’ protests would be organised at the district headquarters across Tamil Nadu on October 13 and 14 to highlight the issues surrounding the breakdown of democracy in India. Additionally, a protest will be held on October 15, in which INDIA bloc leaders will participate in Chennai.

Mr. Tagore said the TVK’s general secretary (Election Management) and PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna; MDMK chief Vaiko; VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan; CPI(M)’s State secretary P. Shanmugam; IUML’s K.A.M. Muhammed Abubacker; and CPI(ML) leader Chandra Mohan participated in the meeting. Other leaders, such as State Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson; Congress leaders K.V. Thangkabalu and K.S. Alagiri; State Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan; VCK treasurer S.S. Balaji; Congress MP Praveen Chakravarty; Tiruvallur MP Sasikanth Senthil; and Congress MLA Tharahai Cuthbert were also present.

Asked if the DMK was invited to be a part of the meeting, Mr. Tagore said, “Everyone fighting the RSS-BJP’s rule can be a part of the INDIA bloc. We need to have a political understanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are destroying the democracy in India. Our leaders have reached out to parties who should have come today, but I cannot talk about those who did not attend.”

“You have been asking why the TVK was not participating in INDIA bloc meetings. Now, it has joined the alliance. Its leaders have said that they are ready to protest and burn the effigy of Gyanesh Kumar,” he said.

“INDIA bloc is strong in Tamil Nadu. We are going to oppose the RSS, BJP, and Gyanesh Kumar,” he added.