Chennai: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam defended his party’s support to the TVK govt, stating that the party took this decision as other options, including an “AIADMK govt backed by DMK”, were untenable.Throwing his weight behind the TVK govt, Shanmugam said TVK’s victory cannot be downplayed as one obtained through “social media influencing”, and that they had only highlighted the problems plaguing the state. Though TVK leaders were inexperienced, Shanmugam said he hoped the nascent administration would learn about governance soon.In an article written by Shanmugam in CPM mouthpiece Theekkathir, shared on his X handle on Friday, he said the left party was being criticised for supporting TVK. There was no rationale in DMK getting upset about it, he said.He said CPM had three options after the election results – support TVK, which won the most seats though short of a majority; back an AIADMK govt with DMK support, or face President’s rule and fresh elections.Shanmugam said the party rejected the possibility of a DMK-supported AIADMK govt as politically untenable. “We fought the election to keep AIADMK – BJP at bay. Voters had also defeated this alliance,” he said.CPM didn’t want to allow President’s rule either, as it would have handed political control of the state to the BJP-led Union govt. Hence, CPM took the “right decision” of extending external support to TVK govt.“TVK is duty-bound to set right everything that they had accused the DMK govt of. People expect an end to corruption and bribery,’’ he said. “If there are any anti–people decisions, we will oppose them,’’ he said.
