Rajiv assassination case convicts' release: Dissonance creeps into Cong-DMK ties

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Published : May 24, 2022, 7:05 AM IST

Updated : May 24, 2022, 10:14 AM IST

Rajiv assassination case convicts' release: Dissonance into Cong-DMK ties

Willing to strike, but afraid to hit sums up the predicament of the Congress in Tamil Nadu. The release of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination convict AG Perarivalan last week and the warm reception that he received from Chief Minister MK Stalin as well as other leaders of parties across the spectrum have isolated the Congress in Tamil Nadu, writes ETV Bharat's MC Rajan.

Chennai: Rattled at the euphoria over the release of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case convict AG Perarivalan, the Congress in Tamil Nadu took to the streets with a silent protest across the state. The party had made it clear that it is not acceptable though he was set free by the Supreme Court. If this was not enough, Chief Minister MK Stalin pursuing in earnest the release of the remaining six convicts has put the national party, an ally of the ruling DMK, in a tight spot.

This is the first time that Congress has made it clear that it is not on the same page with its dominant alliance partner, though it remains politically isolated on the issue. For its part, the DMK has shown Congress its place as it does not feel compelled to keep its ally in good humour. It is very rare for Stalin to hug someone in public and Perarivalan had that honour. Not only that, the Chief Minister had Perarivalan seated close to him on the sofa.

Unpalatable as it is to the Congress, the party could not do much except vent out its displeasure yet being cautious in refraining from criticising Stalin. Whether this is a prelude for the Congress walking out of the alliance or a mere ritual for the state Congress leaders to be in the good books of the Gandhi family is also a point of discussion in the public domain.

Read: Rajiv assassination case: Options for the release of six remaining life convicts

TNCC president KS Alagiri, while being critical of the 'hero's welcome accorded to Perarivalan by leaders right from Vaiko of MDMK to Left Parties and others, has stopped short of training his guns on the DMK. “The national leadership would take a call,” was his response to the question of snapping ties with the DMK. His predecessor Su Thirunavukkarasar, MP, too, toed this line.

Ever since it was dethroned from power in 1967, the Congress party has remained content at playing second fiddle to either of the Dravidian majors, DMK or AIADMK. Its vote share has shrunk to around nine per cent and is dependent upon the DMK to get a handful of MPs. In the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, the DMK had granted a lone seat to Congress. As such, analysts are of the view that the state Congress leaders making a hue and cry over the release of the six convicts is nothing more than a ritual to be in the good books of the Gandhis.

“The Congress is out of touch with reality. The generation of youth born after 1991, have no real connection with Rajiv or the Congress. The 2009 genocidal war in Sri Lanka aided by the Congress government at the Centre has further alienated the party. Its tie-up with the DMK is not ideological, but dictated by the power nexus. As such, the Congress would prefer to stomach this,” explains Professor Ramu Manivannan, Head of the Department of Political Science, Madras University.

Last Updated :May 24, 2022, 10:14 AM IST

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