DMK mouthpiece Murasoli attacked Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of preaching opposition unity nationally while undermining allies in states, following the defection of five Congress MLAs from the DMK-led alliance.
The editorial highlighted tensions within the INDIA bloc, citing criticism from Left, Samajwadi Party, and RJD leaders over Congress’s conduct toward regional allies.
DMK blamed Congress for Tamil Nadu’s political upheaval, alleging complicity in the legislators’ switch to Vijay’s coalition and portraying Congress as responsible for weakening opposition unity.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s official mouthpiece, Murasoli, published a highly critical editorial on Sunday targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The attack follows the defection of five Congress legislators elected in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. The lawmakers left the DMK-led alliance to join actor-politician Vijay's new coalition government within weeks of the election.
The editorial's headline asks how Gandhi can preach opposition unity while simultaneously undermining it for years, according to a report by Indian Express. It suggests Gandhi speaks of unity at the national level while practising different politics in the states.
For years, the Congress operated as a dependent junior partner to the DMK in Tamil Nadu. The national party provided a pan-India face while relying entirely on the DMK's local machinery. The editorial frames the current conflict as the emotional and political processing of a complete breakup. It attempts to persuade its cadre that loyalty flowed in only one direction, explaining how an alliance it once led unravelled so quickly.
The Kerala Friction Point
Gandhi repeatedly attacked Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) during election campaigns. He alleged a "secret understanding" existed between the Left and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
At recent INDIA alliance discussions, CPI(M) leaders reportedly confronted Gandhi directly over those remarks. Murasoli highlighted arguments by CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, who said the Left needs no validation from Congress regarding its opposition to the BJP. The editorial also referenced CPI General Secretary D Raja, who called Gandhi's remarks a sign of "political immaturity."
The editorial cites complaints attributed to Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav. It uses these examples to demonstrate that dissatisfaction with Congress's behaviour extends far beyond Tamil Nadu. This establishes a narrative that the INDIA alliance crisis stems from Congress actions rather than ideological differences.
Regional parties increasingly believe Congress demands national solidarity while acting as a local competitor. They accuse Congress of asking allies to help defeat the BJP nationally after trying to weaken them locally.
Murasoli then mocks Gandhi's metaphor that the Congress must absorb criticism "like Lord Shiva drinking poison". The DMK publication notes that Shiva only consumed the toxin. It asks who created the poison in the opposition alliance in the first place.
Betrayal In Tamil Nadu
In the 2026 election, Congress secured five Assembly constituencies while allied with the DMK. Within weeks, its legislators crossed over to the Vijay-led coalition government.
DMK leaders accuse the national Congress leadership of having knowledge of, or blessing, what they view as an organised desertion rather than mere political realignment.
The emergence of Vijay's TVK-led government has destabilised Tamil Nadu's political landscape. The shift caused the AIADMK to split vertically before partially reuniting. It also forced the VCK, IUML, and Left parties to recalibrate their positions, leaving the DMK more isolated than in recent memory.
The Murasoli editorial shifts its tone from treating the Congress as a junior partner to labelling it a "repeat offender." This rhetorical escalation signals that the political breakup is now complete. The DMK is assigning responsibility for a political rearrangement that has left it diminished.
