Party will decide about seat sharing in alliance: CPM
"We are not under pressure from the DMK.
We will decide the number of seats we want. Other parties in the alliance should not dictate our demands," Shanmugam, who was attending a two-day state body meeting, told reporters in Trichy on Thursday.
Shanmugam downplayed any internal discord within the DMK-led INDI alliance. He added, "Our main focus in the elections is to defeat the BJP-AIADMK alliance, though no one wants to contest fewer seats."
Shanmugam also acknowledged the rise in right-wing sentiments in the state, saying, "There is no denying the growth of the right wing.
We are working to unite secular forces on one platform."
During the meeting, several resolutions were passed. Shanmugam condemned the Union government's decision to raise train ticket prices and criticized its allocation of funds, noting that more money was directed toward the development of Sanskrit than to other classical languages like Tamil.
The CPM also criticized the state government's move to introduce dialysis services in upgraded Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The party extended its support to the national strike called by central labour unions on July 9 to protest the Centre's "anti-worker policies."
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