DMK Criticizes Rahul Gandhi Over Silence on Tamil Nadu Voter List Changes

The DMK has adopted a divided stance toward Rahul Gandhi after the Congress aligned with actor Vijay's party to form the Tamil Nadu government following the April election. While one faction of the DMK defended the Leader of the Opposition, another accused him of double standards for protesting against the Election Commission while ignoring voter roll revisions in Tamil Nadu.

Party Division

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai questioned why Gandhi raised electoral manipulation concerns elsewhere but remained silent on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. Annadurai pointed to data indicating that Vijay's party secured a large majority in assembly segments where voter deletions exceeded twenty thousand, and triumphed in every constituency where deletions surpassed eighty thousand. In contrast, senior DMK leader TKS Elangovan supported Gandhi's right to protest state actions and called for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner alongside fresh elections in affected states.

National Protests

The intra-party friction coincides with an escalation of protests by opposition leaders in New Delhi targeting the poll body. Police detained Gandhi after opposition members attempted a march toward the election office, leading to a multi-hour sit-in demonstration. The broader opposition push follows reports that two election commissioners had registered formal objections regarding decisions made without their participation, including matters concerning roll revisions.

Context

Tamil Nadu politics has undergone significant realignment since the exit of the DMK from the Congress-led national opposition alliance. Disputes over voter list revisions highlight how shifting regional alliances can complicate national opposition campaigns when coalition partners govern different states.