Chennai: CPI (M) state secretary P Shanmugam on Monday challenged the ruling TVK to act on the corruption evidence it claims to possess against the DMK rather than question the integrity and track record of the Left parties.

Days after Public Works and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna asked the Left parties to speak up on the corruption during the previous DMK regime, the veteran Marxist leader lashed out at the former saying the TVK candidates in Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-elections were facing public backlash due to their defection from the AIADMK.

"Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has repeatedly claimed that three crucial files containing evidence of corruption and irregularities (in the DMK regime) are sitting on his desk, ready to be opened," Shanmugam recalled and added "if the government possesses proof, it is in the position to take swift legal action."

"It is astonishing that instead of acting on these documents, those in power are questioning the CPI (M)," Shanmugam said turning the tables on ruling TVK dispensation, while responding to a question during a press conference here. CPI (M), besides the other Left party CPI, extends outside support to the Joseph Vijay government.

Accusing the previous DMK regime of corrupt practices during his poll campaign in Madurantakam, Arjuna had challenged the Left parties to speak up on the issue as they had been the DMK's allies for years.

The TVK's decision to nominate K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama who won on AIADMK tickets in the April Assembly election, to contest on the TVK's "whistle" symbol in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, respectively, has led to a fierce ideological and tactical showdown centered on political ethics, voter mandates, and opportunism.

Both the seats fell vacant after former AIADMK MLAs Kumaravel (Madurantakam) and Sathyabama (Dharapuram) who won on the "Two Leaves" symbol in the 2026 state Assembly polls, resigned less than a month after their victories to join the TVK.

Determined to wrest back both the seats reserved for SC, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami nominated party's foremr MLA, S Kanitha Sampath for Madurantakam and senior functionary K Banumathi for Dharapuram. The AIADMK campaign is expected to center heavily on accusing the turncoat candidates of betraying the public mandate - an issue that the Left parties too have been highlighting.

The Left parties which have been extending unconditional support to the TVK government, have fielded CPI (M) leader P Suganthi for Madurantakam and CPI's P Lakshmanan for Dharapuram.

The presence of DMK's I Paranthaman and S Suganya, Naam Tamilar Katchi candidates - K Janaki Raman and M Karthika - make the October 6 by-poll a fierce five-corner contest.

Turning his attention to the upcoming by-election, the CPI(M) leader revealed that TVK candidates are facing severe public backlash on the ground, with voters reportedly chasing campaign teams away in several places.

He attributed this voter frustration directly to "political opportunism". Shanmugam noted that the defectors have failed to offer convincing explanations to voters regarding their sudden resignations and party switches.

"Citizens are angry that legislators who won on the Two Leaves symbol threw away their public mandate within three weeks just to contest again under a different banner," Shanmugam asserted.

Reaffirming the Left's independent political stance, Shanmugam clarified that the CPI(M) operated on a principled dual-engagement policy: backing pro-people legislation while vehemently resisting anti-people policies, regardless of which party occupied power.