CHENNAI: The absence of the word “brother” in Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s birthday greeting to Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin, coupled with the lack of a phone call this year, has triggered speculation over strains in the DMK-Congress alliance.
On Sunday, as Stalin turned 73, Rahul Gandhi conveyed his wishes on X, stating: “Wishing a very happy birthday to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru @mkstalin. May you have good health, strength, and a long life of dedicated service to the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Stalin responded with a brief message thanking him for the warm wishes.
Unlike in 2025, when Rahul Gandhi had also spoken to Stalin over the phone to convey his greetings, there was no such call this year, sources said. Social media users were quick to point to last year’s message, in which Rahul Gandhi wrote: “Wish a very happy birthday to my brother and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Thiru @mkstalin. We continue to stand together in our commitment to preserve India’s rich diversity, federal structure, and Constitutional values. May you have good health and continued success in serving the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Stalin had then replied: “Thank you, dear brother, for your warm wishes and kind words over the phone.” A similar tone marked their exchanges in 2024 as well, with both leaders addressing each other as “brother.”
The latest development comes amid tough negotiations between the Congress and the ruling DMK over seat-sharing for the 2026 Assembly election. The Congress has reportedly sought a share in power, allocation of 39 Assembly seats and two Rajya Sabha seats. In the 2021 Assembly election, the DMK had allotted 25 seats to the Congress.
While some Congress leaders, including Lok Sabha whip Manickam Tagore and All India Professional Congress chairperson Praveen Chakravarthy, have advocated exploring an alliance with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam for the party’s growth, the DMK has ruled out sharing power. In the first round of talks held on Saturday, the DMK is learnt to have offered 22 Assembly seats and one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress.