'Cheap Political Opportunism...' — Uproar within Congress over support for TVK; senior leader launches a rebellion.

Following the results of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Congress party has decided to part ways with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and extend its support to Vijay's party, the Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has expressed his displeasure over this decision by the party.

Speaking today, Friday, regarding the Congress party's decision to support the TVK, Mani Shankar Aiyar remarked, "This smacks of petty political opportunism."

Mani Shankar Aiyar Outraged by Alliance with TVK

Speaking to PTI, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar asserted, "If this move facilitates a 'backdoor entry' for the communal BJP into the Dravidian state, it will prove to be the worst 'own goal' in the history of political football."

Aiyar stated, "I cannot even imagine that the founders of the Indian National Congress would have blessed such opportunistic politics."

Aiyar described the Congress party's decision to switch sides and forge ties with the TVK—immediately after contesting elections in alliance with the DMK—as a "terrible mistake." He pointed out that it was this very TVK that, just days earlier, had challenged the Congress on 23 Assembly seats—seats where the Congress subsequently lost, while winning on only five.

Contested Elections in Alliance with DMK

In an article published in The Hindu Tamil, the senior Congress leader questioned whether this move by the Congress to switch allies in Tamil Nadu represented a victory for Chanakya or for Mahatma Gandhi.

In his Tamil article, Aiyar wrote, "The Congress won five seats—not on its own merit, but entirely on the strength of its decades-old alliance with the DMK, in which it has served as the junior partner."

Aiyar explained, "In fact, my former parliamentary constituency, Mayiladuthurai, proved to be such a strong bastion of the DMK-led alliance that in five of its six Assembly segments, voters cast their ballots against Vijay's TVK and in favor of the alliance partners."

Aiyar further noted, "Of these seats, two went to the DMK, while one seat each was secured by the alliance partners: the DMDK, the IUML, and the Congress." "Thus, the mandate was clearly in favor of the DMK-led alliance and against the newly arrived party.

'I cannot bless such politics of the Congress.'

Aiyar believes, 'It is against the backdrop of my association with this unique parliamentary constituency over the past 35 years that I write this article with profound regret and sorrow—especially considering that the mandate across the entire state was against the established Dravidian parties and in favor of C. Joseph Vijay's TVK.'

Aiyar further wrote, 'Vijay is thoroughly secular and forms part of the broader Dravidian consensus. Yet, the abrupt abandonment of an old and trusted ally reeks of petty political opportunism. But then again, opportunism is the very essence of Chanakya-esque politics.'

Criticizing the Congress, Mani Shankar Aiyar wrote, 'This was not the politics of truth espoused by Gandhi's Congress. I cannot even conceive of blessing such expedient politics on the part of the founders of the Indian National Congress.'

Aiyar continued, 'Moreover, even Jawaharlal Nehru—ever the pragmatist—would have questioned whether it was politically prudent to cast aside a tried-and-tested ally—one who stood by us through decades of turmoil—only to embrace, in his stead, a partner whom the Congress had spurned right up until May 4th.'"