No power sharing in Tamil Nadu, Stalin tells Congress

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said the DMK-Congress alliance remains strong and ruled out power sharing in government. Dismissing rift rumours, he said the partnership is in harmony and criticised attempts to create divisions ahead of elections

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday said that the alliance between the DMK and the Congress is intact, dismissing reports of fissures between the two parties.

He also rejected the possibility of a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, shutting the door for the Congress party, some of whose senior leaders have been raising the matter.

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Making it clear that there was no confusion, Stalin, who is also the DMK chief, said, “Sharing power in the government does not suit Tamil Nadu. The Congress also knows that very well. Some people are stirring up the issue of power-sharing just to cause a rift in the alliance. That tactic will not work,” he said at the India Today Roundtable conference here.

“Rumours of confusion in the alliance are being spread deliberately. Beyond politics, I look at (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi as a brother. He also looks at me the same way,” Stalin said.

“The DMK-Congress alliance is in harmony. What others are expecting (a split) will not happen,” he said.

The chief minister’s remark assumed significance in the wake of the Congress party expressing concern over delays in seat-sharing talks.

On Tuesday, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Girish Chodankar expressed concern over the ‘delay’ by the DMK in constituting the seat-sharing committee.

The DMK announced that a panel would be formed to commence negotiations from February 22.

There was widespread speculation over the DMK-Congress alliance following the war of words between Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, Jothimani and Madurai DMK leader G Thalapathy over “power-sharing”.

On February 10, DMK Minister R S Rajakannappan said, “In the Congress, one or two people cause trouble. If we say this, they get angry. They are part of an alliance. If they want to remain, let them remain. It is up to Thalaivar (Stalin) whether they are in the alliance or not. To defeat the Dravidian movement, one must still be born.”

“Even when Kalaignar (DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi) won 100-111 seats, did he give a share in the government,” he asked.

“When the DMK is poised to win 150 seats, how can we give a share. In an individual capacity, only Thalapathy (M K Stalin) will lead the government. Ask what you need, we will do it for you. There will be only a Dravida Model government,” he said in Pudukottai.

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has been expressing doubt over the sustainability of the DMK-Congress alliance.

He had said that the DMK-led alliance is heading towards a collapse, with the Congress all set to slip away from the ruling coalition ahead of the Assembly elections.

During the interactive session, Stalin said the forthcoming polls in Tamil Nadu would not be more difficult than the 2021 Assembly election for the DMK to emerge victorious.

Hitting out at the Centre, he said the BJP’s fascism will never win in Tamil Nadu.

On the presentation of the Budget by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, he said, “What the Central government gave to Tamil Nadu in the Budget is zero. What the BJP will get in the election is also zero seats in Tamil Nadu polls.”

Stalin said some of the schemes introduced by the state government are being followed by the Centre and pointed out the ‘Thozhi’ hostels scheme.

The Thozhi hostels scheme seeks to address the challenges faced by women migrating from their hometowns to work in cities.

Managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Women Development, the hostels provide safe, affordable and quality accommodation for working women across the state.