The widening political rift between the DMK and Congress took a sharper turn on Monday after DMK leader Alim Albuhari launched a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing it of abandoning the principles that once united regional parties under the INDI alliance and behaving “more arrogantly than the BJP.”
His remarks come in the backdrop of the dramatic collapse of the long-standing DMK-Congress partnership in Tamil Nadu following the recent Assembly elections, a split that has triggered fresh questions over the future of opposition unity at the national level.
Questions Congress’s role in INDI alliance
Speaking to ANI, Alim Albuhari said regional parties had rallied behind the Congress with the expectation that it would defend the federal structure of the country. Instead, he alleged, the party’s conduct had pushed several allies away.
“The regional party believed the Congress to safeguard and protect federalism. This is the reason why they came together behind Congress as the INDI Alliance,” he said.
Taking a direct swipe at the party’s leadership style, he added, “But the irony is that they started behaving more arrogantly than the BJP.”
According to him, the growing dissatisfaction among regional forces is visible across the opposition spectrum and has contributed to unease within the alliance.
“That’s the reason why even Kejriwal is hesitant to join, and even if he joins, he will not be that satisfied,” he said.
Alim Albuhari further claimed that recent developments had exposed the deep cracks within the opposition coalition, adding, “It is very clear now why DMK is out of INDI Alliance.”
‘The ideology matters’
Referring to the political developments that followed the Tamil Nadu election results, the DMK leader accused the Congress of prioritising power equations over alliance commitments.
“Here, people voted, including the Congress’s candidate to make M.K. Stalin the CM, not anyone else,” he said.
Alim Albuhari alleged that immediately after the election, Congress began exploring alternatives and moved closer to C Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
“Immediately after the election, they started running behind TVK without basic courtesy, where actually the power is,” he remarked.
Stressing that ideological commitment should take precedence over political convenience, he added, “Here, the ideology matters.”
His remarks add to the escalating political battle between the two parties, signalling that the fallout from Tamil Nadu’s election verdict is likely to have repercussions far beyond the state.