Trouble at home? | News from Chennai

Since the results of the Lok Sabha elections were announced in early June, the DMK's allies in Tamil Nadu have spoken out, some hesitantly, others more aggressively. The recent issue of a commemorative coin to mark the centenary of M. Karunanidhi, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conspicuous by his presence and national Congress leaders by their absence, has sparked speculation.
Allegations by the AIADMK that the DMK is secretly allying with the BJP have sparked discussions in the political arena about possible realignments ahead of the 2026 general elections. Allies of the DMK, including the state parties of Congress, VCK, CPI and CPM, are becoming increasingly vocal and organising protests against the DMK government on various political issues. For example, both CPM and VCK leaders have criticised the government's just-concluded global Lord Murugan conference.
Recently, allies of the DMK announced a boycott of Governor RN Ravi's 'At Home' reception on Independence Day, expressing their dissatisfaction with what they saw as his anti-Tamil and anti-Tamil stance. Later, the DMK joined the allies in calling a boycott. However, in a dramatic turn of events, the Governor called Chief Minister MK Stalin and invited him. Stalin took to the lawns of the Raj Bhavan in the evening with a battery of ministers. TNCC chairman K Selvaperunthagai, however, was quick to defend the Chief Minister. “The Chief Minister is determined to oppose the communal forces. We, the Congress party, hope that he will do so till the end. How could the DMK ally with the BJP after opposing Sanatana?”
A week after the LS election results, Selvaperunthagai had sparked a debate by questioning his party's dependence on the DMK. Former Union minister EVKS Elangovan had retorted sharply from the same podium, urging the Congress not to be ungrateful to the DMK.
The AIADMK's allegation that the DMK had neglected the Congress's national leadership in issuing the Karunanidhi anniversary coin also found no response in the Congress. It is noteworthy, however, that Stalin did not attend the Governor's “At Home” reception on Republic Day this year.
On August 18, Rajnath Singh insisted on visiting Karunanidhi's memorial and asked those attending the commemorative coin event to give a standing ovation to the late DMK patriarch. Singh noted that Karunanidhi's legacy was a reminder that “regional development is an integral part of national development. It best exemplifies the idea of ​​cooperative federalism.” BJP state president K Annamalai also attended the memorial alongside Rajnath Singh and Union Minister L Murugan, an action that also angered BJP supporters on social media.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan dismissed talk of DMK moving closer to the BJP as “cheap politics”. He said, “Yes, Rajnath has praised Karunanidhi more than DMK party members would normally do. The Prime Minister has also sent his congratulations for the event. But the CPI does not see this as DMK's subjugation to the BJP. The DMK is firmly against communalism and of course against the BJP and also defends democracy and secularism,” the CPI leader said.
The allies continue to align with the DMK's ideologies, which revolve around social justice, equality, self-respect, linguistic affinity, racial rights and state autonomy. The inconsistency of the opposition, especially the AIADMK in its opposition to the BJP, has kept the bond between the DMK and its allies strong since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and strengthened it in the wake of a series of electoral victories.
But political observers point to recent protests and campaigns by some allies. The VCK has held a series of anti-government protests in response to caste killings and tragedies related to alcohol consumption, demanding rights in HR&CE temples and installing flagpoles. The appointment of Dalits in temple associations has not been fully implemented by the DMK government, they claim. The VCK is heeding the opposition's criticism and is planning a nationwide anti-drug campaign from October 2. The “situation is alarming”.
“It shows our social responsibility. We are travelling with democratic forces beyond electoral politics,” said VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan. The party plans to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the seven-judge bench's verdict allowing state governments to create subcategories among SCs/STs for reservation, as it believes it would divide the community for the sake of electoral gains. Stalin had incidentally welcomed the SC's order.
However, Thirumavalavan flatly rejected any possibility of a BJP-DMK alliance, saying, “The saffron party is on the decline and the DMK would have no political gains by working with the BJP.” He referred to Stalin's role in the formation of the INDIA bloc. “I believe the DMK that it followed government protocol while attending the Raj Bhavan event. Rajnath Singh's participation is a topic of discussion and it is normal for people to have doubts. There is nothing wrong with everyone thinking of political calculations, but the DMK has made it clear that it was a government event and there was no politics involved,” the VCK leader said. Ten days ago, Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin asked Thirumavalavan to wish him a happy birthday.
A few days later, the VCK condemned the resolutions of the Global Muthamizh Murugan Conference in Palani. One of the resolutions had decided to hold competitions and prizes for students in HR&CE-run institutions for imparting bhakti literature on Lord Murugan and to allow students to recite Kanda Shasti Kavacham on festival days. It was also decided to recommend special spiritual courses on Lord Murugan in the educational institutions run by HR&CE.
D Ravikumar, MP from VCK, expressed shock at the resolutions and termed them as saffronisation of education – an attempt to implement the BJP government's Hindutva agenda. “Nobody will criticise the HRD and Education Department if it does its job as a department. But imposing religion in education violates the constitutional secularism. This is reprehensible,” the politician posted on X.
In a virtual address on the concluding day of the conference, Udhayanidhi said the global conference was not just a spiritual gathering but a conference of Tamil culture. “The DMK government does not interfere in the beliefs of others and respects the sentiments of everyone,” he said, adding, “The DMK regime is the golden era of HR&CE.”
The CPM's state party has also been vocal, complaining of deteriorating law and order, rise in drug prevalence and increase in caste-related killings in the state. The party has protested against the revision of property tax and electricity tariffs. CPM state secretary K. Balakrishnan said the Left parties cannot compromise on the welfare of the working class. “We are part of the INDIA bloc, which includes the DMK. We are against the BJP government. It is a DMK government in the state and not a coalition government. We will oppose it if it affects the people,” the CPM leader said.
The allies argue that it would not be politically and strategically advantageous for the Dravidian party to pander to the BJP, as its electoral successes are based on an anti-BJP strategy. Perhaps emboldened by this, the allies are trying hard to step out of the shadow of their mammoth partner and expand their presence in the Dravidian state.
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