DMK not dependent on Cong alliance, CM will decide, says TN Minister Rajakannappan

Senior DMK leader R S Rajakannappan has signalled a firm, self-reliant stance regarding the party's partnership with the Congress, asserting that the DMK cannot conduct its political activities by relying on alliances. Speaking at an event here on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Minister for Forests and Khadi remarked that while CM Stalin will handle matters concerning the coalition, the party's attitude remains: ''If they come, let them come; if they go, let them go''. Kannappan emphasised that the status of the alliance is ultimately the ''Chief Minister's preference''. He framed this position within the broader history of the Dravidian movement, noting that the party's success is rooted in its service to the grassroots rather than a dependence on other political entities. Turning his attention to the opposition, the Minister asserted that the BJP cannot gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu. He further claimed that the AIADMK is effectively a ''finished force''. ''Even if they take 'annakaavadi' (a traditional ritualistic offering) to Kunnakudi, the BJP cannot gain a foothold here. The AIADMK existed once, but it ended with MGR and Jayalalithaa,'' Rajakannappan added. Reflecting on the Dravidian movement's origins, Kannappan said C N Annadurai founded the movement in the pouring rain at Robinson Park to challenge the power of elites, such as landlords and industrial magnates. ''The DMK is the Dravidian movement started by our Anna. Therefore, all the workers who were in the AIADMK have come over (to DMK),'' he said.