Chennai

A meeting of the post-poll allies of Tamil Nadu’s ruling TVK on Wednesday named the front led by it as the “Secular Social Justice Victory” alliance and unanimously elected Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as the leader of the alliance.

The meeting led by Vijay also deliberated fielding candidates in the bypolls to be held on October 6 in the state for two constituencies, which will be the first acid test for the ruling TVK.

TVK senior leader and Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna, briefing reporters after the meeting, said that the alliance under the leadership of his party has been firmed up and it is not for polls alone. It is an ideology-based alliance for the sake of people which upholds the ideals of reformist icons Periyar EV Ramasamy, Dr BR Ambedkar and Dravidian stalwart C N Annadurai, he said.

“Wherever secularism and social justice are there, victory is always there and it is for the people,” Arujna said. On the Left parties not signing up for the alliance, he said: “We have a lot of respect for the Left parties.” Further, he expressed confidence that “hearts of the Left parties would continue to stay with the alliance,” and they would continue to support the TVK-led government.

This was the second meeting of the post-poll allies of the TVK and it went on for about an hour and a half. The Left parties that did not take part in the first coordination meeting as well held in July. Congress, VCK and IUML are part of the government. Left parties support the government from the outside. The MDMK is also a post-poll ally. In the 234-member-strong Assembly, TVK won 108 seats -- short of a simple majority -- and formed the government with the support of post-poll allies.

The name of the alliance -- Secular Social Justice Victory Front -- itself speaks volumes about the ideals and agenda of the combine and all parties that fight for the rights of the state are part of the alliance, Tagore said, adding the TVK-led front will function from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. “The alliance will be robust and candidates will be announced for the bypolls tomorrow and we will work for the victory of the alliance candidates,” Tagore said.

IUML top leader Kader Mohideen said a “new history” has been created as this is the first time, a coalition government is in place in Tamil Nadu. In all the polls to be held, the constituents of the TVK-led alliance will work together for victory, he said.