Cracks between DMK-Congress wide open, says AIADMK's Kovai Sathyan

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 16 (ANI): Amid ongoing alliance talks between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls, AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan took a jibe at the Congress, saying that as an ally, it has lost its respect.
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Sathyan said the DMK has not listened to or heeded the Congress party's requests, adding that cracks between the parties have widened.
"As an ally, their (Congress) respect is lost long back. Despite repeated signals and attempts, and forming a committee for almost 45 days, if DMK has not listened to or heeded their requests, it clearly shows they are in the wrong place. This ally is done and dusted. The cracks are now wide open, and it is resonating on the ground itself. DMK and Congress, even if they were to form a compromising alliance in the coming days, there will be no positive results on the ground because the cadres are clearly divided," Sathyan said.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore referred to a remark by Tamil Nadu Minister Raja Kannappan, who predicted DMK could win 160 seats while contesting 170 constituencies in the state elections. He stressed that power-sharing is essential and that a share in governance is the party's right, adding that the people would ultimately decide.
The Tamil Nadu assembly has 234 seats, of which the Secular Progressive Alliance, led by DMK, won 159 in the 2021 elections. The DMK alone contested 173 seats and won 133. Meanwhile, the Congress contested 18 of 25 seats and won 12.
On Saturday, Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai stated that alliance talks with DMK are set to begin on February 22, asserting that the INDIA bloc remains united despite BJP efforts to divide the vote bank.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday assured DMK cadre that he "will take care" of the seat-sharing arrangements with its allies for the state's assembly elections. (ANI)