CHENNAI: MK Stalin’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday announced that it will skip the June 8 INDIA alliance meeting in New Delhi, citing the “betrayal” by the Congress party after the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
“In view of the sentiments of DMK cadres, who continue to feel deeply hurt by what they consider the betrayal committed by the Congress party against the DMK following the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, and in respect of those sentiments, the DMK will not participate in the INDIA alliance meeting to be held in New Delhi on June 8, particularly as it is a meeting in which the Congress party will be taking part,” the DMK said in a statement shared on X.
However, the party added that it will continue to support issues concerning the nation raised by other parties participating in the meeting.
“While the DMK will not attend this meeting, it will continue, as always, to raise its voice on issues affecting the welfare of the nation that may be brought forward by the other parties participating in the meeting,” the DMK statement read.
The development comes after the Congress formed a post-poll alliance with Vijay’s TVK after DMK’s defeat in the recent Tamil Nadu elections.
By joining hands with TVK, the Congress returned to power in the South Indian state for the first time in six decades since the DMK never allowed Congress to be a part of its government.
The Congress has said that its alliance with Vijay’s TVK is “not only for the formation of this government, but also for future elections to local body organisations, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.”
The decision by the DMK to skip the INDIA bloc meeting comes as a blow to the Opposition unity.
The Opposition has called the meeting to discuss its joint strategy against the BJP-led NDA government ahead of next year’s crucial Assembly elections in several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
Top INDIA bloc leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, are likely to attend the meeting.
The Congress is also reportedly in talks with the TVK to bring it on board, but there has been no confirmation from the Vijay-led party yet.
Agencies