CPI(M) warns TVK govt. not to take unilateral decisions

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CPI(M) State Secretary P. Shanmugam said, “The Chief Minister should come out with a statement that the Secretariat would not be constructed” | Photo Credit: Special Arrangment

CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam has warned that his party would be forced to reconsider its outside support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led (TVK) government in Tamil Nadu if Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay acted unilaterally and took decisions according to his “whims”.

“Drop immediately the order to construct a new Secretariat at Pattinapakkam,” he said.

Addressing a demonstration on Saturday (September 19, 2026) in Chennai demanding that the government drop its proposal to construct a new Secretariat at Pattinapakkam, Mr. Shanmugam said the TVK government had been elected with the support of 34% of the voters and not 100% of the people of Tamil Nadu.

“Your government is continuing with the support of political parties such as the CPI(M) and the CPI. If you act and take decisions according to your whims, we will be forced to take a decision. A ruler of the State should have a minimum of democracy in his approach,” he said.

Mr. Shanmugam said the Chief Minister should hold consultations with political parties on major issues instead of considering whether they supported the government or not.

“You can place your arguments and we will express our stand on why we are opposing them. We can thrash out the issue and come to a conclusion. This is a democratic approach. What is the difficulty for the government in following this approach? Why does consultation taste bitter to you?” he asked.

He alleged the TVK government was afraid of convening all-party meetings on important issues, including the Cauvery water dispute and the selection of a site for a second airport.

Referring to the identification of two sites — one at Cheyyur near Chengalpattu and another near Gummidipoondi — and their being communicated to the Centre, he said the proposal to construct an airport at Parandur had already run into problems following opposition from local people.

“What is the difficulty in consulting political parties on the issue? Even if you consult political parties and launch the project, you are going to earn the name that it was implemented during your government. History is not going to say that a new Secretariat was constructed in consultation with the Communist parties,” he said.

Mr. Shanmugam urged the government to withdraw the Government Order for constructing the new Secretariat at Pattinapakkam.

“The Chief Minister should come out with a statement that the Secretariat would not be constructed here. It will bring an end to the issue. Fishermen will live in peace and we can eat tasty fish,” he said.

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