DMK Seeks Separate Lok Sabha Seating After Congress Alliance Split

New Delhi: Irked by Congress offering support to TVK in Tamil Nadu to form the government, DMK MP K. Kanimozhi has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker requesting a change in the seating arrangement for DMK MPs in Parliament. She has cited the end of the party’s alliance with the Congress as the reason for this.

“I write to respectfully request suitable changes in the seating arrangements of the Members of Parliament (MP) belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)in the Lok Sabha. In view of changed political circumstances and as our alliance with the Indian National Congress has come to an end, it may not be appropriate for our members to continue occupying the present seating arrangement alongside them in the House. I, therefore, request your good office to kindly make necessary arrangements for the Hon’ble members of the DMK Parliamentary Party to be allotted separate seating, enabling them to effectively discharge their responsibilities in the August House. I shall be grateful for your kind consideration in this regard,” Mrs Kanimozhi.wrote.

Congress leader Mr Manickam Tagore clarified that Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Mr Rahul Gandhi had spoken to outgoing chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal after the results and backed them publicly. He added backing TVK is a strategic decision to keep NDA out and form a stable government.

“RG (Rahul Gandhi) called Stalin. RG called Mamata. On result day itself. Next morning — RG backed Mamata publicly. Said BJP stole 100 seats in Bengal. Congress supported TVK — to respect the people’s mandate, to form a stable government, to keep NDA OUT. And now — Godi media blames Congress. Pro-DMK media blames Congress. But DMK is talking to AIADMK. With BJP’s blessings. That’s practically NDA by another name. So tell me, should Congress have helped NDA come to power? TVK has been anti-BJP from day one. Congress stood with that. No apologies,” wrote Mr Tagore on X.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav threw his weight behind the TMC and DMK, and took a jibe at the Congress, saying "we are not the ones who leave during difficult times.” Mr Yadav also posted on X photographs of his meeting with Trinamool chief Ms Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and with DMK chief Mr M.K. Stalin. "We are not the ones who leave (you) during the difficult times," he said.

Mr Yadav met Banerjee at her Kalighat residence on Thursday and alleged that the elections in West Bengal were conducted on the "Uttar Pradesh model" through intimidation and manipulation. Mr Yadav alleged that the Bengal polls witnessed "multi-layered mafia tactics" involving the BJP, the Election Commission and "underground elements."

"What happened in Uttar Pradesh was repeated in Bengal. Opposition polling agents were threatened, and votes were conducted under fear. Central forces were used to ensure the defeat of the opposition," he had alleged. The TMC, DMK and SP have been part of the opposition INDIA alliance.