Congress-DMK Split Is Final, Says Bharathi, Challenges Rivals Ahead of Local Body Polls

Senior DMK leader R.S. Bharathi on Sunday ruled out any future reconciliation with the Congress, asserting that the party's cadres would never accept the national party back into the alliance fold.

Addressing reporters, Bharathi said the DMK was no longer part of any alliance involving Congress and dismissed the possibility of renewed political ties. Responding to criticism from Congress leader Manickam Tagore, he advised the Congress leader to reflect on his own electoral performance before commenting on alliance dynamics.

Using sharp analogies to describe the fallout, Bharathi said the split was not a mutual separation but a breakdown caused by actions that had eroded trust. He maintained that even if the DMK leadership considered a different course in the future, grassroots workers would oppose any reunion with Congress .

The DMK leader also challenged opposition parties to prove their strength in the upcoming local body elections , urging the polls to be held as early as January. He claimed rivals would struggle to secure even a single mayoral post and questioned whether opposition leaders were prepared to accept such a test of public support.

Reiterating the DMK's ideological position, Bharathi ruled out any future alliance with the BJP . He also criticised the growing trend of political defections, saying leaders who switch parties for positions rarely sustain long-term relevance.

Targeting actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) , Bharathi downplayed the party's recent electoral gains, describing them as a temporary phenomenon driven largely by personality appeal and social media influence rather than ideology. He noted that TVK's vote share did not amount to majority public support and predicted its political momentum would eventually decline.

The remarks underline the widening rift between the DMK and Congress while highlighting the ruling party's efforts to counter both national and emerging regional political challengers in Tamil Nadu.