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The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday, June 4, announced that it will not attend the Congress-led INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to be held in Delhi’s Constitution Club on June 8.
In a statement, the DMK said that it has always been a ‘central force’ of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). “DMK chief MK Stalin has been the main voice on important issues facing the people of the country and this is well known to all parties that are part of the alliance,” the statement read.
However the statement noted that it will not be joining the June 8 meeting ‘out of respect for DMK cadres who are deeply hurt by the Congress’ betrayal after the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.’
The DMK’s statement was a reference to how Congress exited the longstanding alliance the two parties shared by joining incumbent Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The five Congress MLAs who had won in the state Assembly polls joined Vijay to aid the TVK in meeting the majority threshold to form the government. Congress MLAs S Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan were also inducted as Cabinet ministers in Vijay’s Cabinet.
TVK also allotted its Rajya Sabha seat to Congress as per the understanding reached out between both the parties. Praveen Chakaravathy, who was critical against the DMK is expected to be nominated for Rajya Sabha.
The DMK’s statement also mentioned how it has always spoken out against important issues including the NEET exam, Special Intensive Revision (SIR), One Nation, One Election, and the Waqf Act – all of which are dominant issues raised by the Congress against the BJP led Union government.
“The DMK will continue to voice its opinions on issues affecting national interests even if they do not participate in the meeting,” the statement concluded.
