Cong leadership has not sought share in power with DMK, says Elangovan

The Congress leadership has never sought a share in power with the DMK and the issue was being raised by some elements, DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan said on Saturday. Even in a situation in the past when the DMK lacked the requisite number of MLAs in the Assembly but formed the government, the Congress had not then raised the issue of power sharing, he said and indicated that this specific view did not reflect that of the Congress leadership. ''We formed the (minority) government in 2006 under then chief minister M Karunanidhi with the support of the Congress. But the latter never sought a share in power, but supported us from outside,'' Elangovan told reporters here. If such a proposal came from the Congress high command or state leadership, then his party president (M K Stalin, who is the Chief Minister) would respond, he said. The DMK would highlight the achievements of the state government and also expose BJP's ''deceit'' through the ''Tamil Nadu Thalai Kuniyadhu'' (TN will not bow down) public outreach campaign, Elangovan said. About 22 key speakers of the DMK would campaign in all the 234 Assembly constituencies in the state during the month-long campaign to be launched on February 1, he said. ''Since the DMK under M K Stalin came to power in 2021, the government provided various welfare schemes to the people from all walks of life,'' Elangovan said. He claimed that the Centre showed its hatred towards Tamil Nadu by refusing to accept the Keezhadi findings, which glorified the Tamils' pride and alleged that the BJP government was systematically ignoring Tamil Nadu, causing religious conflicts, and violating the Constitution. To a question, he replied that the DMK poll manifesto was likely to be released in mid-February.