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If the Congress decides to break ranks with the DMK or be demanding, it would be a strategy that is in sync with Gandhi’s initial desire that the party needs to go alone
While this may not mean that the Congress has made up its mind to end the alliance with DMK yet, given that the Grand Old Party has only 17 seats for now, some think they can afford to take a risk. (PTI)
The seat-sharing talks between DMK and Congress for the Tamil Nadu elections already seem to be losing steam. This is because many in the Grand Old Party are beginning to think like Rahul Gandhi, who feels that the idea of the INDIA bloc will eventually have to end as the allies are eating away the identity of the Congress.
In fact, the first indication that Congress was looking at other allies in Tamil Nadu came after the Karur stampede when Gandhi called up actor and TVK chief Vijay. The phone call caused quite a flutter and though initially the Congress party tried to play it down, it ended up upsetting the DMK.
While both the BJP and Congress are silently wooing Vijay, the DMK is very clear that actor-turned-neta is their enemy. Though it doesn’t want to attack Vijay too strongly, DMK knows that Vijay’s appeal is to the same vote bank that it is eyeing—women and youth. This is precisely the reason why the Congress in the state is toying with the idea of looking at new allies. This is also the feedback that many in the party cadre have given to the central leadership.
A cue has also been given by Tamil Nadu Congress in-charge Girish Chodanker who said: “Congress party will present its own vision for Tamil Nadu, give our guarantees to Tamil voters and implement them by sharing power and being part of the government.”
While this may not mean that the Congress has made up its mind to end the alliance with DMK yet, given that the Grand Old Party has only 17 seats for now, some think they can afford to take a risk.
If the Congress decides to break ranks with the DMK or be demanding, it would be a strategy that is in sync with Gandhi’s initial desire that the party needs to go alone.
The biggest problem the Congress faces today is that it’s losing its presence in most states where it is in an alliance. Gandhi feels the allies are becoming more powerful and eating into the ‘astitva’ [identity] of the party—a cycle he wants to end. Will Tamil Nadu be the first ground for this experiment?
December 23, 2025, 09:42 IST
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