DMK And Congress Unity As Strategy
· Free Press Journal
In politics, the old dictum remains as relevant as ever: united we stand, divided we fall. The ruling alliance in Tamil Nadu seems to have rediscovered this wisdom just in time. For days, negotiations between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress over seat-sharing for the forthcoming Assembly elections appeared to have reached a dead end. The Congress was demanding 35 Assembly and two Rajya Sabha seats, while the DMK was unwilling to concede so much ground. The stalemate threatened to cast a shadow over a coalition that has otherwise prided itself on cohesion. Fortunately for both parties, realism prevailed. The DMK agreed to allot 28 Assembly and one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress, and the latter accepted the compromise. What seemed like a looming breakdown was thus transformed into a workable arrangement. In political terms, it was a case of extracting success from the jaws of defeat.
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The achievement should not be underestimated. The DMK-led alliance consists of 21 political parties—many of which oppose one another in other parts of the country. Keeping such a diverse coalition together is never easy. Doing so for a record stretch is a testament to the coalition management skills of Chief Minister MK Stalin. Yet, the challenge before the ruling alliance is formidable. The Bharatiya Janata Party is determined to make a serious bid for power in Tamil Nadu. For the party’s national leadership, success in the state would serve as proof that the political terrain is no longer impenetrable for it. The BJP has been attempting to realign political forces in the state by amplifying relatively small religious disputes. Symbolism has also been deployed with care. The installation of the Sengol—a ceremonial sceptre symbolising righteous rule rooted in ancient Tamil tradition—in the new Parliament building was accompanied by much fanfare. Likewise, the replacement of Edwin Lutyens’ statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan with that of C. Rajagopalachari carried unmistakable political messaging.
Stalin, for his part, has been quick to counter these moves by emphasising Tamil identity and linguistic pride. The state government recently commissioned a report on centre-state relations from a committee headed by Justice Kurien Joseph, particularly in the context of friction with the Governor over administrative matters. The findings are unlikely to find favour with the centre and may remain largely academic. Nevertheless, they reinforce the political narrative of state autonomy. As the election approaches, the contours of the battle are becoming clearer. On one side stands a broad but fragile coalition determined to preserve the Dravidian political tradition. On the other is a national party eager to prove that Tamil Nadu is no longer beyond its reach. In such a contest, unity may well prove to be the ruling alliance’s most valuable asset.