DMK leader TKS Elangovan says the party is ‘no more in the INDIA bloc’ and will skip its June 8 meeting. He cited betrayal by Congress after the Tamil Nadu assembly polls, stating their actions have deeply hurt DMK workers.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan on Thursday said that party workers were hurt over the actions of Congress after the Tamil Nadu assembly polls and the party will not take part in the meeting of the INDIA bloc parties on June 8.
‘We are no more in the INDIA bloc’
Talking with ANI, Elangovan also said that DMK is no longer in the INDIA bloc. “We are no more in the INDIA bloc, and that is why we are not attending the meeting,” he said.
Elangovan blames Congress for the split
Elangovan said that Congress won five seats as part of the DMK-led alliance. “Congress stated that they are going with TVK and that they will fight the local body elections and the next parliament elections also with TVK. This means they are not with us. The Congress stated that they are parting ways with the DMK. Which means how can we continue in the INDIA bloc? That is why we said we are not going. They have five MLAs who have won in our alliance. We had given them a Rajya Sabha seat. After that, these MLAs did not even come and thank our leader,” he said.
“They said that we are going with TVK and said that we are no longer in the alliance with the DMK. Then it will definitely hurt the cadre. They have also worked for them,” he added.
Elangovan said that in 28 constituencies that the Congress fought as part of the alliance, DMK cadres worked for the alliance partner. “That is why we are not attending the meeting… Let us see how many parties of INDIA bloc are participating in the meeting,” he said.
DMK earlier said that it will not participate in the meeting of the opposition grouping to be held in the national capital on June 8, particularly as it is a meeting “in which the Congress party will be taking part”. DMK, which has been a strong pillar of the India bloc, said its workers are deeply hurt by the “betrayal of Congress”.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)