Prime Minister Narendra Modi tore into rival Congress on Sunday for "backstabbing" the DMK in Tamil Nadu. He called the grand-old party a "parasite" and "hungry for power."
PM Modi took a dig at the Congress for severing decades-old ties with DMK and supporting Vijay's TVK after the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026.
Soon after the election results showed the TVK, the new entrant in Tamil Nadu politics, emerging as the single-largest party, the Congress announced breaking ties with the DMK. It decided to help the TVK form the state government.
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PM Modi criticized the Congress for allegedly 'backstabbing' its long-time ally DMK in Tamil Nadu after the election results. He referred to the Congress as a 'parasitic' and 'power-hungry' party that betrays its allies.
The Congress announced breaking ties with the DMK and decided to support Vijay's TVK party to form the government after TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
C Joseph Vijay, the leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the first leader outside the DMK and AIADMK to head the state government since 1967.
CM Vijay announced 200 units of free electricity for domestic consumers, the establishment of a 'Singapen' task force for women's safety, anti-drug trafficking units, and a 'white paper' on the previous DMK government's finances.
Although TVK emerged as the single-largest party, it fell short of a majority. Vijay secured the necessary support from parties like the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), and IUML to cross the majority mark of 118 MLAs.
Several leaders, including PM Modi and those from the INDIA bloc allies, denounced the move as “backstabbing.”
What did PM Modi say?
While addressing BJP workers during his visit to Karnataka for the 45th anniversary celebrations of the Art of Living Foundation, PM Modi, "The Congress has become a parasitic party. And therefore, it backstabs its own allies when got an opportunity."
And that's why it's said, 'Koi aisa saga nahi jisko Congress ne thaga nahi' [there is no relative or ally whom Congress has not deceived]," PM Modi said.
PM Modi said, "The Congress has deep relations with DMK for 25-30 years. There were many situations in which the DMK helped the Congress in difficult times. Even the government before 2014 was stable because of the DMK," PM Modi said while describing the Congress-DMK relations as “a bond for life and death.”
"The DMK used to work for the benefit of the Congress. But as soon as the power dynamics shifted, the power-hungry Congress backstabbed the DMK," PM Modi said.
He alleged that the Congress had similarly betrayed its own leaders in states such as Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka by making promises over leadership arrangements and later reneging on them.
"The same game is still continuing in Karnataka. Now Kerala's turn has come," he said.
"Wherever Congress is in power, either the treasury is being looted to serve a royal court, or there are internal fights over looted money. The Congress today has become known as a parasitic party. That is why, at the first opportunity, it betrays even its allies. Hence, it is often said that there is no one whom Congress has not deceived," PM Modi said.
Vijay takes over as Tamil Nadu CM
Cheered and heralded by sea of delirious supporters, C Joseph Vijay took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday with a pledge that "a new era of real, secular, social justice starts now."
His Cabinet is a mix of young and experienced, with the 51-year-old actor-turned-politician's core team finding a place in his maiden ministry.
'Bussy' N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna and K A Sengottaiyan were also administered the oath of office of minister by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Others who took the oath as ministers in Vijay's cabinet included K G Arunraaj, P Venkataramanan, C T R Nirmal Kumar, A Rajmohan, Keerthana and K T Prabhu.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by senior leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the family and friends of Vijay.
Although TVK on its own did not secure the majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, Vijay managed to get support from the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI (M) and IUML to gather 120 MLAs and cross the 118 majority mark to form the government.
