Mahendran’s switch from CPI to TVK seen as major 'ideological boost' for Vijay’s party

Veteran CPI leader C Mahendran joined Chief Minister Vijay-led TVK on Thursday. The formal induction took place at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai. Addressing the media following his induction, Mahendran, known among CPI circles as CM, characterised himself as a unique politician, citing a 50-year history of participating in people's struggles and facing imprisonment for the communist cause since the age of 18. Despite his shift in party allegiance, he emphasised his intention to continue wearing his signature red towel.

He asserted that aligning with TVK would serve to strengthen the core roots of communist ideology and public welfare, rather than abandon them. He identified the eradication of corruption as the lifelong, unfulfilled goal of his political career, expressing strong confidence that TVK leader Vijay possesses the capability and intent to achieve this objective. Calling the political shift under TVK's leadership a "democratic revolution”, Mahendran praised the party for proving that ordinary citizens without financial backing or caste influence can successfully contest and win elections. He recalled a 2012 conference in Paris where world leaders questioned whether a poor person could ever enter a legislature in modern times, noting that recent electoral shifts in Tamil Nadu have decisively answered that question.

Criticising existing political and societal systems for primarily serving the wealthy and powerful, the veteran leader stated that TVK offers a genuine pathway to direct government resources toward marginalised and oppressed communities. He expressed his vision for the party to grow into a mass movement akin to those led by Mahatma Gandhi, Periyar, and B R Ambedkar, adding that this political evolution is a milestone not just for Tamil Nadu but for all of India. Mahendran’s shift comes as a surprise to many due to his deep-rooted history with the Left, having begun his political journey with the CPI in 1971.

During his extensive tenure, he held critical responsibilities in the party, including that of a state Deputy Secretary. He was notably fielded as the Left's candidate against late chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the high-profile Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar by-election in 2015. Beyond active politics, he is a writer and a literary researcher. Political observers view the veteran leader's move as a major ideological boost to TVK. It highlights an ongoing trend of experienced leaders from various political parties gravitating toward Vijay's party.