Kanyakumari: Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi campaigned today in the Colachel Assembly constituency of Kanyakumari district, launching a sharp attack on the BJP, RSS, and the AIADMK. Speaking during the campaign, Rahul Gandhi asserted that Tamil people will never surrender to the BJP or the RSS.
“It is well known that the Tamil people will never surrender to the BJP or the RSS. Consequently, they seek to govern Tamil Nadu through the AIADMK. The BJP detests Dravidian ideology,” Rahul Gandhi stated. He alleged that under the guise of women’s reservation, the BJP attempted to introduce constituency delimitation, with the objective of curtailing the parliamentary representation currently held by the southern states.
Rahul Gandhi Tamil Nadu visit
Rahul Gandhi asserted, “As far as we are concerned, every state in India must be governed and administered by the people belonging to that specific state. The voice of every state must be respected. However, the BJP does not share this view. In our view, Tamil Nadu should be governed from within Tamil Nadu itself. Yet, the BJP refuses to accept the principles enshrined in the Constitution. The BJP seeks to govern Tamil Nadu remotely from Delhi.”
LIVE: Public Meeting | Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu https://t.co/QTGwT2K8AO
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 20, 2026
On Manipur violence
Citing the example of Manipur, Rahul Gandhi stated, “Manipur was once a peaceful state; however, the BJP instigated violence in that tranquil region, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people. The BJP is solely responsible for all these consequences.”
On AIADMK’s role
While acknowledging the AIADMK’s contributions, Rahul Gandhi said, “I do not deny that the AIADMK has played a significant role in the development of Tamil Nadu. However, the AIADMK has now effectively transformed into a vehicle for the BJP to gain entry into the state. The RSS is attempting to govern Tamil Nadu by utilizing proxies.”
Praise for Tamil Nadu’s schemes
Rahul Gandhi also praised Tamil Nadu’s governance model, stating that Tamil Nadu has demonstrated a path to development for the entire nation by implementing schemes such as the women’s rights assistance scheme and the breakfast program for school students.