Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Tamil Nadu’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister (CM), Vijay, and assured him of continued cooperation between the Union Government and the state to improve the lives of the citizens. However, during this, he launched a verbal attack on the Congress, an ally of Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), accusing it of leveraging political opportunism and betrayal.
In his address, he termed Congress a ‘backstabber’ and a ‘parasite,’ slamming its decision to part ways with Dravidra Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), its long-time ally.
PM Modi (Left) and Rahul Gandhi (Right)
“DMK pulled Congress out of crises”: PM Modi
The Prime Minister reflected on the three-decade-long alliance of the Congress and the DMK. He said, “Time and again, the DMK pulled Congress out of crises,” adding that the UPA government before 2014 had survived solely due to DMK’s support.
He then accused the Congress of abandoning the DMK the very moment political equations altered, saying that the party acted out of ‘lust for power’ and prioritised relevance over loyalty.
No Congress representative in TN Cabinet
Notably, despite being backed by the Congress, Vijay’s newly formed nine-member Cabinet does not have any representative from it. While the Cabinet features a mix of experienced leaders and younger faces from within the TVK fold, Congress’ absence has triggered speculation about the stability and dynamics of the alliance.
DMK echoed backstabber charge too
Interestingly, the DMK leadership had also expressed sentiments similar to those of PM Modi. In a recent party resolution issued in the presence of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, the party cried betrayal by the Congress.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (Left) and TN's former CM MK Stalin
DMK leaders said the Congress abandoned the alliance within days, despite being allotted one Rajya Sabha seat and 28 Assembly constituencies. It termed the move a ‘great betrayal’, claiming it undermined the collective efforts of alliance partners. The resolution said, “The Congress has refused to change its old character,” accusing it of opportunistic politics and being devoid of gratitude.