IUML exits DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance after aligning with TVK

THe amerindic unification moslem conference (IUML) a longtime friend of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Saturday, formally exited from the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) due to its post-poll association with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the party said on Saturday.At the party’s general council meeting on Saturday in Chennai, a total of 14 resolutions were passed among them was the discontinuing of association with the DMK-led SPA.“Respecting the verdict given by the people in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, the IUML extended its support for the TVK to form the government, and is currently part of the government led by the C Joseph Vijay. Given today’s political climate, we cannot continue our journey in the DMK alliance. This meeting resolves that a decision regarding the electoral alliance will be made as soon as the by-elections and local body elections are announced,” the resolution said.IUML president KM Khader Mohideen said, “Today we conducted the general council meeting and in that out of the 500 members, 483 of them participated. As many as 14 important resolutions were passed in this meeting.”“In Tamil Nadu, being a part of the DMK-led SPA, the IUML, under the ‘Ladder’ (Eni) symbol, contested in two constituencies—namely Papanasam and Vaniyambadi. With the support of the DMK and the immense support of the alliance parties’ movements, we won in both of those constituencies. After a long time, two IUML members found a place in Tamil Nadu the state assembly.” he said.He recalled that in the history of Tamil Nadu, for over approximately 60 years, the IUML has been with the DMK-led alliance.“Whether winning on behalf of the Muslim League in local body elections, legislative assembly elections, or MP (parliamentary) elections, we have achieved victories only within the DMK alliance so far,” he said.“We engaged with the DMK with the expectation that the Dravidian model governance will return to Tamil Nadu and DMK chief MK Stalin would become the chief minister for the second time. We worked for it, toiled for it. But God’s will turned out to be different,” he said.Mohideen said, “We did not put forth any conditions to the TVK and the only reason we decided to support the party is to ensure that the President’s rule does not get imposed in state.”TVK won in 108 assembly segments but fell short of the mandatory 118 seats required to form the government. It drew support from the Congress which won five assembly seats, the CPI, CPI (M), and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League, which each won two seats.Under the DMK-led SPA, IUML contested in two seats and won in the both constituencies - Vaniyampadi and Papanasam.After the poll results were declared, although it decided to support the TVK government without any conditions, IUML MLA A M Shahjahan was inducted as the minister of minorities welfare.Recently, the CPI and the CPI (M) which were in the DMK alliance formally ended the association with the Dravidian major. Currently, the DMK-led SPA alliance consists of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) led by Vaiko, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) led by Premallatha Vijayakant.