'BJP trying to replace AIADMK, come in 2nd position in TN': DMK-Cong ally VCK

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 11 (ANI): Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief and candidate from Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district, Thol Thirumavalavan, claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying for the second position, replacing All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in the state.
Thirumavalavan further claimed that the people in Tamil Nadu will not support the BJP due to their 'religion-based politics'.
"BJP is trying to win the elections in Tamil Nadu, but there is no possibility for them. Tamil Nadu people will not support the BJP due to their religion-based politics. Actually, they are trying for the second position in Tamil Nadu politics. They want to replace AIADMK. I can see this is also not possible for them," Thirumavalavan told ANI on Thursday.
"The real fight is between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led alliance only. So AIADMK can retain their position in second place in Tamil Nadu politics. But we are doing our propaganda against BJP because this is for Parliament, not the assembly," he added.
The VCK chief expressed confidence in the opposition coalition, the INDIA bloc coming to power in the Centre.
"BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other popular leaders, may come here frequently, but they cannot achieve anything in this election in Tamil Nadu," he said.
"PM Narendra Modi will not succeed again. He should come again as Prime Minister of India. It is highly dangerous to the nation and the Constitution. So we made an alliance, INDIA bloc. I believe the INDIA bloc will form the government at the Centre. BJP will not achieve in the Centre also," Thirumavalavan said.
In the 2014 general elections, ADMK's M Chandrakasi defeated Thirumaavalavan by 128495 votes, clinching 429536 votes, however, Thirumaavalavan won the Chidambaram constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a massive margin of 3219 against ADMK's P Chandrasekar.
This time, AIADMK has fielded M Chandrahaasan, while the BJP has fielded incumbent Mayor and AIADMK defector P Karthiyayini against Thirumaavalavan in the seat.
All 39 seats of Tamil Nadu will go to polls in the first phase of the general elections on April 19 and the counting of votes, along with those from other phases, has been scheduled for June 4.
In 2019, the DMK-led secular alliance swept the Lok Sabha polls in the state, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state.
The DMK, which is contesting 22 seats, leads an eight-party alliance that includes the Congress, which is contesting 9 seats; the CPI(M) and the CPI that are contesting 2 seats each; the Indian Muslim League, which has fielded a lone candidate; the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which is contesting 2 seats, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which has fielded a lone candidate; and the Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), whose candidate will contest on the DMK symbol.
The AIADMK, which is leading an alliance of four parties in the Lok Sabha, will contest 34 seats while its partners Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam will contest 5, the Puthiya Tamilagam and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) one each. However, the latter two parties will contest the polls on the AIADMK symbol.
The BJP, which is contesting 23 seats, will go into the polls with nine other partners; including the Pattali Makkal Katchi on 10 seats), the Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) on 3 seats, former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK leader O Pannerselvam, who is contesting as an Independent; Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMU), headed by TTV Dhinakaran, on 2 seats, and the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi, Puthiya Needhi Katchi and Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam on one seat each.
The elections to 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases, starting April 19. (ANI)