The MDMK general secretary Vaiko has said Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, while joining hands with the Congress, does not have any thoughts of becoming the Prime Minister of India, as being articulated by a few ministers.
Speaking to reporters in Palayamkottai on Monday, Mr. Vaiko, while reacting to Tourism Minister S. Rajesh Kumar’s assertion that the two Congress ministers in Tamil Nadu Cabinet would quit the posts if their leader Rahul Gandhi was not accepted as Prime Ministerial candidate in 2029 Parliamentary elections, said, neither Mr. Vijay nor most of the TVK leaders had the thought of fielding the TVK founder for the post of Indian Prime Minister in 2029.
The Tamil Nadu ministers, who were floating this narrative, should speak cautiously. Since the Congress was leading India Bloc at the national level, Mr. Rahul alone could be fielded as the Prime Ministerial candidate and there was no other possibility.
“I firmly believe that Mr. Vijay does not even dream of becoming the Prime Minister of India as Mr. Rahul Gandhi alone can be the prominent candidate for this post with India Bloc takes on the BJP. The Tamil Nadu ministers and other TVK functionaries, while remaining in an alliance, should not speak whatever they want against the wellbeing of the alliance and Mr. Vijay should advise them not to indulge in such controversial remarks,” Mr. Vaiko said.
The MDMK general secretary said he would give 80% marks to Mr. Vijay-led government after following closely the 100-days of its ‘corruption-free governance’. Even though development works were important for the growth of any State, the eradication of corruption, which was like moving the Himalayas, should be more important as Tamil Nadu had endured excruciating corruption in the past.
The corrupt officials in Tamil Nadu government, who were receiving huge kickbacks every month in the past, were not cooperating with the government. However, the Chief Minister, like David felled Goliath, should be firm in his crusade against corruption by taking stringent action against the corrupt officials, Mr. Vaiko said.
He also said the government should take action against the officials responsible for the omission of the names of E.V.R. Periyar, B.R. Ambedkar and late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the Tamil Nadu government’s policy notes.
“Delimitation will be a disaster to Indian democracy, which should not be supported by any political party”, Mr. Vaiko appealed.
He urged the Tamil Nadu Government to give due attention to Karnataka’s moves to construct dam at Mekedatu as the proposed reservoir would render the entire delta region waterless for raising paddy.
