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Amid tensions within the alliance, the Congress on Sunday, February 15, formally sought a share in power in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led government, passing a series of resolutions at a district-level meeting.
At a meeting of the Madurai South District Congress Committee in Thiruparankundram, seven resolutions were adopted under the chairmanship of Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore.
The resolutions called for a share in power in the DMK-led government, a greater number of Assembly seats for the Congress in the upcoming elections, and 30% representation in local body seats.
This marks the first time the Congress has officially demanded a share in local body representation as part of its alliance negotiations with the DMK.
Addressing the gathering, Manickam Tagore criticised certain DMK leaders for questioning the Congress’s strength in Tamil Nadu. His remarks were directed at Madurai North MLA G Thalapathi and Forests and Khadi Minister RS Rajakannappan, who had reportedly said the Congress lacked a strong vote base in the state and that power-sharing would not be feasible.
Tagore described such comments as disrespectful to Congress workers. Referring indirectly to corruption allegations faced by the DMK during its tenure in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he said, “The Congress had carried the blame and answered for the DMK’s mistakes.”
He also reiterated his demand that the Madurai North Assembly constituency be allotted to the Congress in the upcoming polls.
Tagore said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi refers to Chief Minister MK Stalin as his elder brother, and that Congress workers expect the same respect in return. “If you don’t give us respect, we will respond in the same manner,” he said.
Some Congress functionaries at the Madurai meeting also voiced support for exploring a potential alliance with actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) if the DMK did not concede to their demands.
Meanwhile, All India Professionals’ Congress president Praveen Chakravarthy questioned the assumption that welfare schemes alone would secure electoral victory.
Referring to the Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme, under which Rs 5,000 was recently credited to 1.31 crore women, he said, “The scheme is commendable, but it would be superstitious to assume that it will guarantee electoral success.”
He added that of the nine major state governments that introduced similar schemes over the past three years, only four were re-elected.
Responding to the recent remarks by Congress leaders, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai said the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had instructed state leaders not to publicly criticise the DMK or the alliance.
He added that the party high command would decide on further action if such comments continued despite the warning.
Earlier, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin had ruled out the possibility of a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, stating that the Congress was aware that such an arrangement was not suitable for the state.
Seat-sharing talks between the DMK and its alliance partners are expected to begin after February 22.