BJP, DMK To Come Together In Tamil Nadu? As Rajnath Heaps Praise On Karunanidhi, AIADMK Cries 'Secret Pact'

Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh praised former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, sparking speculation of a BJP-DMK alliance.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin during the release of a commemorative coin on late DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi birth centenary.

Source : PTI

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh heaping praise on Dravida Munnetra Kazagham stalwart Karunanidhi has got all the talking in Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, the Union minister released a commemorative Rs 100 coin to mark the birth centenary of the late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi, popularly referred to as Kalaignar. 

Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that Karunanidhi was one of the most revered leaders of the country a titan of Indian politics, an advocate for social justice, a cultural stalwart and an able administrator.

Reacting to the remarks, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin responded by saying that he was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed by the leader's praise of the five-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. 

"Rajnath Singh spoke greatly about our leader Karunanidhi in such a way that even our DMK men would not," Stalin said, adding that the speech should be recorded in history. 

The camaraderie was quickly dubbed as a "secret pact" between the Bharatiya Janata Party and DMK, an INDIA bloc ally by Tamil Nadu Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami. 

The Congress, however, remained unfazed by the development and believed their partnership would endure through the 2026 Assembly elections. While some local Congress leaders suggested exploring new alliances with the AIADMK, such ideas were dismissed by the state leadership for "exceeding their brief", reported India Today quoting its sources. 

Stalin also refuted rumours of any tie-up between the saffron party and DMK and added that his party did not have to have secret ties with the BJP. 

Congress and DMK have been long-standing allies and the most enduring electoral partnerships in Tamil Nadu's history. Despite occasional ups and downs, the two parties have been together for decades. 

From 2004 to 2013, the two parties have rallied the longest political tie-up between a Dravidian party and a national party. 

Their alliance was successful in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where AIADMK could not open its account in the state. MK Stalin and Rahul Gandhi have frequently praised each other, often sharing warm messages on social media.