INDIA Bloc Rift: DMK Rejects 'Compete In State, Cooperate Nationally' Formula

DMK has rejected Congress-backed calls to adopt the Kerala-Bengal model, exposing fresh cracks within the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu.

Fresh cracks emerge in the INDIA bloc as DMK rejects Congress-backed alliance proposal.

Source : ANI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Congress had ended DMK alliance, supported TVK government.

Differences within the INDIA bloc have come into the open in Tamil Nadu after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) firmly rejected a proposal to adopt the Kerala and West Bengal model of opposition politics. The suggestion, backed by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and supported by Congress, called for the DMK and the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to remain political rivals in the state while joining hands nationally against the BJP. However, the DMK has dismissed the idea, accusing Congress of betraying the alliance after the Assembly elections.

DMK Draws The Line

The controversy began after VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan proposed that Tamil Nadu could follow the political model seen in Kerala and West Bengal, where parties compete at the state level but cooperate within the INDIA bloc at the national level.

Congress endorsed the proposal, arguing that opposition unity against the BJP should take precedence over regional political rivalries. However, the DMK rejected the suggestion outright, insisting that the political realities in Tamil Nadu are fundamentally different.

DMK MP Ganapathi PVRajkumar accused Congress of abandoning coalition principles after the Assembly elections. He alleged that the party chose to back Chief Minister Vijay's TVK government in pursuit of power and ministerial positions, describing the move as a betrayal of the DMK.

Alliance Rift Deepens

Rajkumar further claimed that Congress was using the VCK as an intermediary instead of engaging directly with the DMK leadership. He also questioned whether the TVK should even be considered for inclusion in the INDIA bloc, pointing out that the party currently has no representation in Parliament.

According to the DMK leader, the emergence of the TVK as a major political force has transformed Tamil Nadu's political landscape, making comparisons with Kerala or West Bengal inappropriate.

The dispute follows a dramatic political realignment after the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Congress ended its nine-year alliance with the DMK and extended support to the TVK-led government. While the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) joined the government, the CPI and CPM offered outside support.

Despite calls from Congress and the VCK for a broader anti-BJP front, the DMK remains unmoved. Party spokesperson TKS Elangovan argued that the TVK itself has repeatedly described the DMK as its principal political rival, making any alliance unrealistic. The disagreement has exposed fresh fault lines within the INDIA bloc and raised fresh questions over opposition unity ahead of future national political battles.