DMK would be in Opposition without allies, says Minister Aadhav Arjuna

Tamil Nadu Minister for Public Works Aadhav Arjuna on Monday asserted that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) would have found itself in the Opposition had it contested the 2026 Assembly elections without its allies. His remarks came during a debate with DMK legislators on the welfare of Scheduled Castes and the DMK's ability to attract minority votes independent of coalition partners.

The exchange began when former Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan highlighted the DMK's efforts to construct a memorial for B.R. Ambedkar and rename the Madras Law College as Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, among other initiatives for the empowerment of Scheduled Castes. In response, current Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan noted that it was the Congress government in the 1960s that had given Cabinet berths to P. Kakkan, who served as State Home Minister, and to B. Parameswaran, who held the portfolio of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.

When Mr. Chezhiaan countered by crediting the hard work of DMK cadre for Mr. Viswanathan's electoral victory in Melur constituency, Mr. Arjuna retorted, "DMK often says that they are the reason why coalition parties such as the Congress, the VCK, the IUML won. The DMK had 22 to 23 party alliances, and they won three consecutive elections comprehensively. But, in 2026, the TVK became the single largest party. If the DMK didn’t have their alliance partners — the Congress, VCK, IUML and the Left parties — they would have won just 10 seats."

The Minister also pointed to Chennai's electoral results, saying, "The reason why Muslims voted in Chennai is due to the Congress and the VCK. But, in 2026, they have lost 14 seats in Chennai. They would have lost the two seats in Chennai too." He then posed the question, "Can the DMK contest alone and win 50 seats?"

DMK MLA K.N. Nehru responded by asserting that the Congress could never win without the DMK's support. Congress MLA Tharahai Cuthbert, however, argued that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra was pivotal in the DMK alliance's clean sweep of Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu. In reply, Mr. Nehru pointed out that the Congress had won only 10 seats in Tamil Nadu despite the yatra.

The debate underscores the delicate balance of power within the DMK-led alliance and the contrasting claims of credit by coalition partners. While the DMK attributes its electoral dominance to its strong cadre base, its allies maintain that their support is crucial for the coalition's success, particularly in urban and minority-dominated constituencies.

Political observers note that such exchanges are common in Tamil Nadu's coalition politics, especially ahead of elections. The discussion also reflected the broader contestation over the legacy of social justice measures and the roles played by different parties in advancing the cause of marginalised communities.

The proceedings concluded without any official statement, but the remarks have generated significant political debate in the state.