Vaiko’s MDMK formally snaps ties with UPA

The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by Vaiko today “formally” snapped ties with the Congress-led UPA at the Centre...

The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) led by Vaiko today “formally” snapped ties with the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, deciding to withdraw support to the coalition as part of which it had contested the 2004 Lok Sabha election. The MDMK had four members in the Lok Sabha and was extending outside support to the Government.

The MDMK took the decision at its regional conference in Coimbatore this evening, presided over by Vaiko. In a resolution, the MDMK said the UPA Government had “failed to redress the sufferings of the common people and to protect their interests.”

It had become quite untenable for the MDMK to continue in the UPA after it decided to quit the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance in the run up to the Tamil Nadu Assembly election held May last year. Vaiko teamed up with Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK for the state election.

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Hoping to finally gain entry in the Assembly with a significant presence, the party, floated in 1993 after Vaiko quit the DMK, however, fared badly in the Assembly election, winning just six of the 35 seats that it contested as part of the AIADMK-led alliance.

The party’s poor show was attributed to Vaiko losing his credibility in switching allegiance Amma who had him jailed for 19 months under POTA.

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