Chennai, 12 February (H.S.): Tensions within the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu have surfaced following a public disagreement between Congress MP Manickam Tagore and Chief Minister MK Stalin regarding the demand for a share in the state cabinet. The friction intensified after Tagore, a vocal advocate for the share-power proposal, took to social media to question the Chief Minister’s characterization of the demand as a conspiracy.

The controversy stems from recent remarks made by Chief Minister Stalin, who firmly ruled out any possibility of accommodating alliance partners in the cabinet. Stalin asserted that the alliance remains intact but dismissed the power-sharing debate as a manufactured issue created by those looking to drive a wedge between the DMK and the Congress. He further claimed that neither he nor Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were concerned about the matter, suggesting that the demand was part of a deliberate conspiracy to create a rift.

In a terse response posted on social media, Tagore defended his party's position, questioning how a request made in the spirit of friendship to serve the people could be labeled a conspiracy. The Virudhunagar MP’s reaction, accompanied by a thinking face emoji, indicates that sections of the Congress party may not be ready to abandon the demand despite the DMK's clear stance.

This development follows months of speculation regarding the stability of the alliance as senior DMK leaders continue to reinforce the party's position against a coalition government. While Stalin has maintained that the partnership is strong, the public pushback from Tagore suggests a growing dissatisfaction among Congress representatives who seek a more active role in the state's governance.V

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary