Congress Rajya Sabha member Christopher Tilak on Thursday said that his party’s decision to extend conditional support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has emerged as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu, was to block the interference of the BJP in the current scenario in Tamil Nadu wherein no party had a majority to form a government of its own.

Speaking to journalists at the airport, Mr. Tilak said it was the anti-BJP stand that prompted the Congress to join hands with the TVK and added that this had caused a difficult situation for the BJP from interfering in the current scenario in Tamil Nadu. 

According to Mr. Tilak, his party leader Rahul Gandhi’s intention was to check the BJP from making the first move. “The Congress as a responsible party even with five MLAs had sensed this and taken the decision at this juncture. It was the responsibility of the TVK to utilise this situation appropriately and make it loud and clear that they had full confidence in secularism,” he said.

Both the TVK and the DMK-led alliance worked with the purpose of establishing a secular government and maintaining communal harmony. The TVK had polled 34% votes and the DMK-led alliance had secured about 30% votes, which only reflected the anti-BJP mood of the electorate in the State.

Mr. Tilak said nearly 65 % of the electorate in Tamil Nadu had exercised their franchise against the BJP and its allies.