Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 6 : In a sharp rebuke of the long-standing DMK-Congress alliance, Treasurer of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) TR Baalu on Wednesday accused the Congress party of "blatant betrayal" and opportunism following the defection of five Congress MLAs to the opposition.
Launching a scathing attack on the Congress party, he accused them of betraying their long-time ally and the people of Tamil Nadu.
Baalu emphasised that the Congress's attempt to justify the move as principled was nothing more than a "veneer of opportunism" and vowed that time would ultimately reveal the truth behind the political manoeuvre.
This comes after TVK made a spectacular assembly polls debut and has secured the support of five Congress MLAs. Congress had fought the election as part of the DMK-led alliance but later decided to extend support to TVK.
Speaking on behalf of his party, Baalu criticised Congress for defecting five MLAs to the opposition and painting it as a principled move, calling it a facade of opportunism.
In his statement posted on X, Baalu emphasised the deep ties the DMK had with Congress, saying, "Whenever the Congress party faced a difficult situation or crisis, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam stood by it as a close ally. For that, we paid a heavy price. But we accepted it with an open heart."
He recalled the personal camaraderie shared with Congress leaders, specifically highlighting the bonds with Sonia Gandhi, the late former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and LoP Rahul Gandhi.
"We demonstrated a deep friendship with Mother Sonia Gandhi and the late former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and a brotherly bond on a personal level with Rahul Gandhi," Baalu said. "He too would say things like, 'Stalin is the only political leader I call brother.'"
However, Baalu expressed disappointment upon learning that the Congress had distanced itself from the DMK, stating, "When I saw in the news that the Congress is now saying those ties have been severed, it didn't come as a shock for some reason."
Baalu strongly condemned the Congress for its recent actions in Tamil Nadu, where the party allegedly defected five of its MLAs to the opposition, undermining the efforts of the Secular Progressive Alliance.
He accused Congress of attempting to justify the defections under the guise of principle, calling it a "blatant betrayal of the people who voted believing that a DMK-led government would be formed."
He further drew parallels between Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing both of using shortcuts to seize power. "Just as the BJP resorts to all sorts of tactics in various states to seize power through shortcuts, the Congress party has done the same in Tamil Nadu," Baalu remarked.
Baalu reminded the Congress of the support DMK had extended in past elections, particularly in 2019, when DMK's leader MK Stalin proposed Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate at a time when Congress hesitated.
"In the 2019 elections, when the Congress party itself hesitated to officially project Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, our party's leader, General Secretary MK Stalin, proposed him as such in Chennai," Baalu said.
He also reiterated the successes of the DMK-led alliance in securing significant victories, sending the highest number of MPs to Parliament from anywhere in the country. "The DMK movement stood shoulder to shoulder, both ideologically and emotionally, inside and outside Parliament."
Concluding his statement, Baalu reminded Congress that betrayal and defeat were not new to the DMK but insisted that these were temporary setbacks. "Defeat is nothing new to us! Betrayal is nothing new to us either! But we also know that these things are not permanent! Time will give the answer!"
The DMK has long been a key player in Tamil Nadu politics, while the tensions within the state's political alliances as Congress faces criticism for joining hands with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).