After facing a barrage of criticism from the DMK for its decision to switch alliance and join the TVK-led coalition government in Tamil Nadu after the Assembly election, Congress Ministers S. Rajeshkumar (Tourism) and P. Viswanathan (Higher Education) on Tuesday hit back strongly against the Dravidian party. Urging the DMK to do its job as the Opposition party, the Ministers in a sharp joint statement, reiterated that the “claim that Congress won only because of the DMK is true only to the same extent that the DMK has won only because of Congress”.

The Ministers said “victory and defeat” was natural in electoral politics and parties that lose “should identify the reasons for the defeat, correct them, and work towards winning the next election.”

The Ministers said TVK leader and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s determination to form the government without the support of the AIADMK and with the support of Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India and Indian Union Muslim League demonstrates the party’s firm commitment to “principles of democracy, social justice, secularism, and state rights”.

“Wherever Congress and the Communists are present, the BJP will not be present either directly or indirectly. There will be no place for religious extremism. Secularism will face no threat. State rights will be protected. Chief Minister Mr. Joseph Vijay has understood this,” the statement said. “It is the duty of the Congress Party to stand by TVK, which remains firmly committed to secular principles.”

They argued the DMK has always depended on the Congress’ support to come to power in the State, underlining the events from the past where the party had allied with Rajaji’s Swatantra Party after his departure from Congress in 1967, Indira Gandhi’s Congress in 1971, the Tamil Maanila Congress founded by G.K. Moopanar after leaving Congress in 1996, or Congress itself in 2006 and 2021.

“The DMK has never won an election without an alliance, yet it has never once shared governing power with its alliance partners. In 2006, the DMK did not even cross the 100-seat mark. It formed the government only because of Congress support, yet it did not have the willingness to allocate cabinet positions to Congress. It is astonishing that a party which wins and forms governments with the support of alliance partners but refuses to share power with them now speaks about federalism,” the statement said.

Recalling DMK president M.K. Stalin’s insistence that Tamil Nadu wouldn’t accept a coalition government, the Ministers’ statement further said, “But now, TVK, which has won 108 seats, has given two Ministerial positions to the Congress Party, which has only five MLAs. It has also given one Ministerial berth each to the VCK and IUML, both of which have two MLAs each. Had the two Communist parties wished to join the cabinet, they too would have received one Ministerial position each. Sharing governmental power with parties that helped form the government is true coalition governance. Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has demonstrated this through action.”

Furthermore, it said, “DMK must accept the people’s verdict and continue its work as a responsible opposition party. Otherwise, it may not even secure opposition status in the future.”