Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader R.S. Bharathi on Sunday, 7 June categorically shut the door on any political reunion with the Indian National Congress (INC), declaring the split between the two parties irreversible and warning that DMK's grassroots cadre would never accept Congress back into the alliance. Bharathi made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu.

The Split Is Final, Says Bharathi

Bharathi was unequivocal: there is no longer any political relationship between the DMK and the Congress, and speculation about a future reunion should be put to rest. He stressed that even if party leadership were to consider such a move, rank-and-file workers on the ground would strongly resist it.

His remarks came directly in response to recent criticism levelled by Congress leaders over the DMK's alliance politics and electoral performance. Taking a pointed swipe at Congress leader Manickam Tagore, Bharathi suggested that Congress leaders ought to scrutinise their own electoral standing before passing judgement on others.

A Challenge on Local Body Elections

Bharathi, a former Rajya Sabha member and veteran DMK functionary, pivoted sharply to the upcoming local body elections, expressing strong confidence in his party's organisational machinery. He called for the polls to be held as early as January and threw down the gauntlet to political rivals — including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders — to demonstrate their grassroots support at the ballot box.

'In local body elections, voters choose candidates based on their individual merit and public service. If our opponents are confident of their strength, let them win even a single mayoral post,' Bharathi said.

No Room for BJP Either

Reaffirming the DMK's ideological moorings, Bharathi ruled out any future alliance with the BJP as well, insisting the party would remain anchored to its Dravidian principles. This dual rejection — of both Congress and BJP as future partners — underscores the DMK's intent to consolidate its own political space ahead of the local body cycle.

On Defections and TVK's Rise

Bharathi also took aim at what he called a growing 'Aya Ram Gaya Ram' culture in Tamil Nadu — a phrase historically used to describe politicians who switch parties for personal gain. He predicted that recent defectors would ultimately return to their original political homes once the political climate shifted, arguing that opportunistic allegiance changes rarely translate into lasting electoral success.

On actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Bharathi was dismissive, characterising its recent electoral performance as a personality-driven, social-media-fuelled phenomenon rather than a genuine ideological wave. He argued that a majority of voters had not backed TVK and predicted the party would face a sterner test once the demands of governance and public accountability came into play.

With local body elections on the horizon, the DMK's posture — confident, combative, and ideologically closed to both national parties — signals a determined bid to dominate Tamil Nadu's civic political landscape on its own terms.