CHENNAI: Amid the rapidly shifting political landscape in Tamil Nadu following the Assembly election results, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday (May 8) launched a sharp attack on the emerging understanding between the DMK and AIADMK to form a government, alleging that the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are orchestrating political developments in the State to prevent TVK leader Vijay from becoming Chief Minister.
Speaking to a private news agency in Delhi, Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore said the political situation in Tamil Nadu is changing “rapidly and unexpectedly,” comparing it to the Nitish Kumar version of Tamil Nadu politics.
He alleged that the BJP has begun exerting influence over the State’s major Dravidian parties. “AIADMK has already surrendered, and DMK has been taken under the control of the BJP,” he claimed, while asserting that the BJP itself lacks independent political strength in Tamil Nadu.
“There is no NDA in Tamil Nadu because the BJP has only one MLA. At any cost, particularly Amit Shah wants to stop Vijay from becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,” Tagore said.
The Congress leader also appealed to the Left parties, VCK and IUML not to “misunderstand the BJP’s plan,” alleging that any political understanding between the DMK and AIADMK would have the “blessings” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
“An alliance between the DMK and AIADMK would be very disastrous for Tamil Nadu,” he added.
Earlier, Tagore also posted a strongly worded message on social media criticizing the possible coming together of the two Dravidian majors. In his post, he said the DMK and AIADMK, described as “lifelong rivals,” had united overnight not for Tamil Nadu or secularism, but solely to stop Vijay’s rise.
He further stated that the Congress had “clearly seen the political reality and walked out,” and accused the Dravidian parties of aligning with what he termed the “B-team of RSS/BJP.”
Tagore questioned the narrative of a “stable government,” calling it “political language used by two frightened parties trying to protect their power.” He also asked whether the DMK would now “remove its mask” before the people of Tamil Nadu.