Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) changed its position on Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi within 24 hours. On Tuesday, the party questioned Gandhi’s silence over the alleged deletion of a large number of voters’ names from the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. However, on Wednesday, the party backed the protest led by Rahul Gandhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
On Tuesday, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai questioned Rahul Gandhi on social media, asking why he had remained silent over the alleged deletion of voters’ names during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. He also questioned Gandhi’s position on the issue.
It was reported that amid this disagreement, the DMK stayed away from a meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc that was held to discuss a nationwide protest strategy against the Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner.
However, on Wednesday, DMK chief spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan openly supported Rahul Gandhi and the opposition’s protest. He said that if a person holding an important constitutional position such as the Chief Election Commissioner adopts what he described as an undemocratic approach, questions would arise over the fairness of elections. He also supported the demand for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.
On Tuesday, opposition parties led by Rahul Gandhi marched from Parliament to the Election Commission’s office. The protesters demanded that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls be cancelled and that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be removed from office.
Relations between the Congress and DMK had already come under strain following the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Against this backdrop, the DMK’s decision to support Rahul Gandhi’s protest is being viewed as politically significant.
