Unfortunate: Karti Chidambaram on DMK leader's backstabber remark over TVK
Defending Congress's decision to support Vijay's TVK in forming the Tamil Nadu government, senior Congress leader Karti Chidambaram dismissed DMK's "backstabbing" charge, saying post-poll coalitions are common in parliamentary politics.
With the Congress deciding to support Vijay’s TVK in forming the next government in Tamil Nadu, snapping its alliance with the DMK, senior Congress leader Karti Chidambaram dismissed the DMK’s “backstabbing” charge as an “unfortunate” reaction from those who “do not understand how post-poll coalitions function”.
"I saw that comment by a DMK spokesperson. I think it's very unfortunate. I don't think he understands how post-election coalitions work," Chidambaram, said in an exclusive interaction with India Today TV.
Congress, which won five seats in the Assembly elections, decided to back TVK after the party emerged as the single largest force with 108 seats in the 234-member House, falling short of the majority mark of 118. Smaller parties are also expected to extend support to the coalition.
The DMK described the move by its long-time national ally as a "backstab". Party spokesperson Saravanan Anadurai said, "The Congress party has decided to ally with TVK, pledging their support to the party. I think they have backstabbed... They have backstabbed the people of Tamil Nadu. They've backstabbed the mandate given by the people of Tamil Nadu."
Countering the charges, Chidambaram explained that the move was a common practice in parliamentary politics.
"If you look at the European examples, you will realise that this is how post-election coalitions work. Parties which are very contradictory to each other also come together to make sure that the people are given a stable government," he added.
The Congress leader further noted that DMK chief MK Stalin is an experienced leader who would understand the Congress's move, and that it was not something "unthinkable".
"I'm sure. Stalin is a very, very experienced political leader. He understands the ground reality. He understands the expectations of other political parties. I'm sure he understands this. This is not something which is unthinkable, which is happening," Chidambaram said.
Confirming to India Today that his party had decided to extend support to TVK, the senior Congress leader said the party "has to help in forming a stable and secular government, and that is exactly what the Congress is doing."
"The Congress party is respecting the mandate of the people. See, if you take this position that anybody who's contested an election in a formation will only stick to their position, then we'll have no government. That is not what the people of Tamil Nadu wanted," he remarked.
TVK is also reaching out to other parties to secure the required numbers for government formation. The Congress is likely to announce its decision at a press conference later in the day.
With the Congress deciding to support Vijay’s TVK in forming the next government in Tamil Nadu, snapping its alliance with the DMK, senior Congress leader Karti Chidambaram dismissed the DMK’s “backstabbing” charge as an “unfortunate” reaction from those who “do not understand how post-poll coalitions function”.
"I saw that comment by a DMK spokesperson. I think it's very unfortunate. I don't think he understands how post-election coalitions work," Chidambaram, said in an exclusive interaction with India Today TV.
Congress, which won five seats in the Assembly elections, decided to back TVK after the party emerged as the single largest force with 108 seats in the 234-member House, falling short of the majority mark of 118. Smaller parties are also expected to extend support to the coalition.
The DMK described the move by its long-time national ally as a "backstab". Party spokesperson Saravanan Anadurai said, "The Congress party has decided to ally with TVK, pledging their support to the party. I think they have backstabbed... They have backstabbed the people of Tamil Nadu. They've backstabbed the mandate given by the people of Tamil Nadu."
Countering the charges, Chidambaram explained that the move was a common practice in parliamentary politics.
"If you look at the European examples, you will realise that this is how post-election coalitions work. Parties which are very contradictory to each other also come together to make sure that the people are given a stable government," he added.
The Congress leader further noted that DMK chief MK Stalin is an experienced leader who would understand the Congress's move, and that it was not something "unthinkable".
"I'm sure. Stalin is a very, very experienced political leader. He understands the ground reality. He understands the expectations of other political parties. I'm sure he understands this. This is not something which is unthinkable, which is happening," Chidambaram said.
Confirming to India Today that his party had decided to extend support to TVK, the senior Congress leader said the party "has to help in forming a stable and secular government, and that is exactly what the Congress is doing."
"The Congress party is respecting the mandate of the people. See, if you take this position that anybody who's contested an election in a formation will only stick to their position, then we'll have no government. That is not what the people of Tamil Nadu wanted," he remarked.
TVK is also reaching out to other parties to secure the required numbers for government formation. The Congress is likely to announce its decision at a press conference later in the day.
