DMK Won’t Be Responsible if Cong Quits Alliance: Reghupathi
Party says it will form government on its own, rejects coalition model
Chennai: Even while Congress keeps its options open on alliance for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Minister S. Reghupathi on Sunday said the DMK did not have the habit of sending out any party from its alliance and that the DMK would not be responsible if any party wants to go out of its fold.
He asserted that the DMK would not share power with any alliance party, making it clear that parties which insist on such a condition will have only the option of quitting the alliance. “The DMK will win to the extent of forming a government on its own, and DMK will form the government”, he said.
He is the second DMK minister after Rural Development minister and DMK deputy general secretary I. Periyasami stated that the party would not form a coalition government. The comments of both the leaders make it clear that the Dravidian party has rejected the Congress’ condition for power sharing and put the ball on Congress court.
The minister made the comments after the Congress did not come out with a clear declaration on staying in the DMK front after the discussion of State Congress leaders with the national leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi.
TNCC leader K. Selvaperuthagai, who attended the meeting on Sunday said the State leaders had been asked not to make public comments on alliance issues, but he did not speak about a decision to stay in the DMK alliance for this year’s Assembly elections. The TNCC also indefinitely postponed the State general council and executive committee meeting scheduled for Monday in a clear message that the decision on alliance had been left to the national leadership.
Reghupathy also expressed the hope that the Congress would stay in the DMK alliance. The Congress had stated that Rahul Gandhi would make the announcement on the alliance for the Assembly election. “Some people expect confusion in the DMK alliance, but it will not happen. We do not have the habit of sending anyone out of the alliance. Our Chief Minister embraces all the parties. If anyone wants to go out of the embrace, the DMK would not be responsible, the minister said.
DMK spokesperson and senior leader T.K.S. Elangovan said till now, the Congress is in the DMK alliance. TNCC president and the national Congress leaders had stated that the Congress is not negotiating with any other party. A five-member committee had been formed by the Congress national leadership to hold negotiations with the DMK, he said, adding the Congress had not announced any change in their alliance. When asked about the opinion of some Congress leaders that the national party should go with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), Elangovan said they are not the leaders of Congress and their comments in public are creating confusion.
