DMK's Rajakannappan downplays Congress' role in DMK-led alliance, says party ready to stand alone

Pudukkottai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 10 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Minister RS Rajakannappan on Monday made sharp remarks on the Congress party's role within the DMK-led alliance, asserting that the Dravidian movement remains strong and the DMK is prepared to contest elections independently if required.
"In Congress, one or two people remain and drain the party's vitality. The DMK is a growing movement. To defeat the Dravidian movement, someone must still be born," Rajakannappan said, while recalling that the Congress ruled Tamil Nadu until 1967 but could not return to power thereafter.
Citing past precedents, the DMK leader said that even when former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi led the DMK to power by winning 110 Assembly seats, the Congress did not demand a share in governance.
"If we say this, they get angry. They are part of the alliance, but just one or two people keep creating trouble. If they want to remain, let them remain. We are not asking them to leave; that is their choice," Rajakannappan said.
"Just yesterday, Selva Perunthagai and I met at a wedding function. What to do, they are in the alliance, so we pose for photos and stand together," he added.
Rajakannappan further stressed that the DMK's guiding principle is to follow the leadership of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
"Whichever alliance it is, our principle is to listen to what Chief Minister Stalin says. Even if we have to stand alone, we are ready," he added.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress president K. Selvaperunthagai on Monday responded to remarks made by AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami regarding the DMK-Congress alliance, asserting that the AIADMK leader should focus on safeguarding his own party.
Speaking to the media, Selvaperunthagai said, "Palaniswami should focus on protecting his own party. BJP is like an octopus that swallows all parties. The next party it is going to swallow is AIADMK. BJP has already swallowed three-fourths of AIADMK. Palaniswami should safeguard whatever remains of his party. Alliance leaders had stood together during the Karl Marx statue unveiling event and that all alliance parties will jointly protest against the BJP-led central government on the 18th. We are united."
Earlier, Selvaperunthagai asserted that there is "no rift" within the DMK-Congress alliance ahead of the upcoming elections, as he emphasised that the alliance is "functioning smoothly."
The state Congress chief on Saturday said that party leaders in the state have already engaged in detailed talks regarding constituency allocation and have conveyed their recommendations to the Congress leadership. He further said that the seats they have asked for will "definitely be given".
Selvaperunthagai's remarks come as Tamil Nadu is scheduled to hold elections in the first half of this year, although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced the official election schedule. Meanwhile, in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, the DMK won 133 seats in the 2021 Assembly polls. Congress won 18, PMK won 5, VCK won 4, and others won 8. (ANI)