NEW DELHI: The Congress–DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu faced renewed strain on Thursday after Congress MP Manickam Tagore publicly pushed back against chief minister MK Stalin after he dismissed the power-sharing demands as a “conspiracy”. Tagore, one of the most vocal proponents of a share in governance for Congress, questioned Stalin’s remarks in one-line post on X: “How is it that seeking, in a spirit of friendship, a role (a share) in work to serve the people could be termed as conspiracy?” The pointed response, accompanied by a thinking-face emoji, suggested that at least a section of the party is unwilling to soften its stand even after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leadership drew a clear red line.
DMK chief Stalin on Wednesday firmly ruled out sharing power with allies, while insisting that the alliance with the Congress was “intact” and free of confusion. “We also know that it will not work in Tamil Nadu; they (Congress) know it too. It is a problem created by some people. They are deliberately conspiring to see if there will be a rift in the alliance. We are not worried about it. Rahul Gandhi is not worried either,” Stalin said.Emphasising continuity, the chief minister added, “The DMK-Congress alliance is in harmony. What others are expecting will not happen,” Stalin said.Also Read: DMK or TVK? Decoding Congress’s alliance dilemma ahead of Tamil Nadu electionsThe DMK leadership has since doubled down on that position. Senior party leader and Tamil Nadu forests minister RS Rajakannappan struck a blunt note saying the party did not run on the strength of alliances. “If they come, let them come; if they go, let them go. It is the chief minister’s preference,” he said.Rajakannappan also invoked history to justify the DMK’s stance. “When Kalaignar won more than 100 seats, did he allow a share in governance? When the DMK is poised to win 150 seats, how can we give a share?” he had asked at a recent event, reiterating that there would only be a “Dravida model” government under Stalin.Within the Congress, the signals are more mixed. While Tagore has argued that the question of whether Tamil Nadu should have a single-party or coalition government should be left to the people, the party’s state leadership has opted for caution. TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai said the chief minister had expressed his view and added, “Every party has its own opinion. Our leaders voice their views. Everyone, including the AICC high command and the CM, will sit and discuss and take a good decision.” He insisted that there was “no opportunity” for a crack in the alliance.Stalin’s carefully worded response till now on power-sharing had asserted DMK dominance in the alliance while avoiding a direct confrontation with the Congress leadership. His recent comment has, however, put Congress leadership in a very uncomfortable spot.Political commentator Suguna Diwakar told TOI earlier that a large number of Congress functionaries were not very particular about share in power, and that party would remain with the DMK. “There is no strong demand from the Congress leadership for a share in power. None of the party top brass was adamant about their demand. Only stray voices such as AICC functionary Praveen Chakravarty and Congress MP Manickam Tagore made these demands,” he said. “At least now they are strong with 18 MLAs and if they join an untested player like Vijay they will be reduced to a minor party in the state,” said Suguna Diwakar. However, there’s one more option.Politcal analyst TSS Mani said majority of Congress cadres and functionaries wish to go with the TVK. He told TOI that AICC general secretary KC Venugopal feels that TVK president Vijay has a considerable number of fans in Kerala as well as other southern states. “Congress leaders feel that this support base will help the party in 2029,” Mani said.The recent out-in-the-open tension between the DMK and the Congress has however given an ammunition to the Bharatiya Janata Party. The saffron party has claimed both allies were searching for an exit ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. “DMK feels Congress is a waste luggage to carry, and Congress feels the DMK may not return due to anti-incumbency,” BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathy claimed, calling the situation a standoff with each side waiting for the other to blink.For now, both allies maintain that the partnership endures. Yet the increasingly public exchange of sharp words over power-sharing raised questions about how long the truce can hold as negotiations over seats and strategy for 2026 draw closer.
