We bore the blame for your mistakes, Congress MP Manickam Tagore tells DMK

Congress MP Manickam Tagore criticizes DMK for corruption blame, deepening rifts in their alliance during a Madurai meeting.

The strains deepened in the DMK-Congress relationship on Sunday, with Congress leaders sharpening their attack on the ruling party.

At a meeting of the District Congress Committee in Madurai, B.  Manickam Tagore, who won in a close election in 2024 from the  Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency, said the Congress had to “carry the blame and answer for your [the DMK’s] mistakes”. He was indirectly referring to the corruption allegations against the DMK that resulted in the decimation of the United Progressive Alliance in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Mr. Tagore criticised the DMK for not taking action against its Madurai North MLA, G. Thalapathi, who had questioned the Congress’s strength in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Tagore has been demanding that the Madurai North constituency be allotted to the Congress this time. He got a resolution passed at the meeting, seeking a share in power and more seats for the Congress.

Last week, DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin ruled out power-sharing with allies.

“When the DMK district secretary [Mr. Thalapathi] asks disparagingly whether the Congress has enough workers to handle the booths, it becomes a problem. We carried the blame and answered for your mistakes,” Mr. Tagore said.

“Our leader Rahul Gandhi calls Chief Minister M.K. Stalin his ‘elder brother’. He expects the same respect to be given to the ordinary Congress workers. His [Mr. Thalapathi’s] speech pained us. No action was taken against him, and he did not express regret either. So everyone has started talking in the same manner. I won’t keep quiet. If you don’t give us respect, we will speak in the same style,” he added.