DMK Boycotts Key June 8 Meeting in Delhi
New Delhi: The MK Stalin-led DMK has decided not to attend the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled in New Delhi on June 8. The move highlights widening differences within the opposition alliance, particularly after recent political developments in Tamil Nadu.
The decision comes amid strained relations between the DMK and Congress following the latter’s reported alignment with Vijay’s TVK in Tamil Nadu’s post-election political scenario. DMK leaders have accused Congress of betrayal, sharply criticising its shift in stance and questioning the durability of their long-standing partnership.
The rift has already surfaced in Parliament, with DMK MP Kanimozhi writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking separate seating arrangements for DMK MPs. The request was linked to what the party described as “changed political circumstances,” reflecting the deepening divide within the INDIA bloc.
Despite the tensions, several opposition parties are expected to attend the June 8 meeting in the national capital. Leaders including representatives from around 15 parties are likely to discuss joint strategy against the BJP-led NDA government and assess the alliance’s future direction.
Prominent leaders such as Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to participate. However, the Aam Aadmi Party is unlikely to attend, having already distanced itself from the alliance.
The INDIA bloc last held a formal meeting in June 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Since then, coordination has largely been limited to parliamentary strategy discussions on key national issues.
The upcoming meeting is now being viewed as a crucial test of unity for the opposition alliance amid shifting political equations across states and emerging internal fractures.
