Political Tensions Rise in Tamil Nadu Amidst Election Campaigns
Chennai: In recent weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made three trips to Tamil Nadu to rally support for the BJP and its allies. He is set to return on April 15 to campaign for NDA candidates in Nagercoil. In contrast, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has not campaigned in the state at all during this period, raising concerns about the Congress-DMK alliance.
Political analysts are noting that this situation is quite different from the last assembly elections when Gandhi kicked off his campaign with a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu in January 2021. Local Congress officials mentioned that Gandhi’s campaign schedule is still being finalized. Tentatively, he is expected to visit after the initial round of elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.
Just this Monday, Rahul visited Puducherry but refrained from directly mentioning his alliance partner, DMK’s M.K. Stalin, during his speeches, which has caused eyebrows to raise. Interestingly, Stalin was in Puducherry the same day, yet their campaign agendas were organized in a way that avoided any overlap. Gandhi spoke in the morning, while Stalin’s visit was planned for the evening.
A DMK official commented, “Rahul didn’t even mention Stalin’s name in his address,” and noted that the mutual silence raised questions about the relationship between the two parties, especially following tensions during their seat-sharing negotiations.
According to DMK’s organizational secretary, R. S. Bharathi, there had been no effort from the DMK’s side to arrange a meeting between Rahul and Stalin. He confirmed that their campaigns were planned well in advance, leaving no room for a last-minute joint appearance. However, he added that the two would likely campaign together in the near future.
A senior Congress member indicated that Rahul plans to visit Tamil Nadu after April 10, suggesting that the party is working to strengthen its presence in the state as the election dates approach.
