DMK Minister Raja Kannappan has once again stirred political debate with his latest remarks about the Congress and speaking on alliance dynamics, just days after his controversial comments about the Congress party drew criticism.
Speaking at a recent public event, Kannappan launched a sharp attack on the BJP and AIADMK while asserting the ideological strength of the Dravidian movement.
“The BJP cannot even gain a foothold. Earlier there was the AIADMK, that went away with MGR and Jayalalithaa. The Dravidian movement is the movement started by our Anna. This is the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.”
He further claimed that AIADMK’s grassroots strength had eroded.
“So, all those who were in the AIADMK, the cadre, have come over. There is no one left there. Only the office-bearers are sitting, waiting for seats, — ‘Will I get a ticket? Will you get a ticket? Will he get a ticket?’ That’s all they are doing. There are no cadre there. They lost their deposits. In Ramanathapuram and Mudukulathur, deposits have been forfeited.”
Referring to former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Kannappan added: “OPS contested elections, I didn’t say he shouldn’t. One can contest elections. I myself have faced 13 elections. Out of 13, I have won eight and lost four. I have not felt bad about that. I am going to face the 13th election again and we will win. Victory and defeat are natural in elections.”
He then turned to ideological messaging, invoking the legacy of Dravidian leaders.
“But there must be an ideology. Our Anna, Perarignar Anna, started this movement. His leader was Periyar. We all belong to the Dravidian movement. Why was the Dravidian movement formed? Anna started this movement at Robinson Park facing heavy rain in Chennai. It was formed to oppose zamindars, feudal lords, big landlords, temple authorities, and industrialists.”
Kannappan also credited Dravidian rule for social mobility.
“If today we are standing as ministers, MLAs, MPs, union secretaries, city secretaries, town secretaries, if grassroots people have come to positions, it is only because Dravidian rule came.”
On the DMK’s alliance with the Congress, he signalled that the matter rested with party leadership.
“As for our Congress alliance, the Chief Minister will speak about the alliance. Let them come if they want; if not, let them leave — we aren’t relying on the alliance. We cannot run our politics depending on the alliance or depending on another party. That is their wish, it is the Chief Minister’s wish.”
Kannappan’s latest speech comes just days after he made pointed remarks about the Congress party while addressing a public event in Pudukkottai on 9 February 2026.
At that event, he questioned the party’s present strength within the alliance. He said, “In Congress, once upon a time till ’67, people were there in large numbers – can they come (to power) now? If I say something, they get offended. Is there even a functioning alliance? One or two people remain and are draining the life out of us.”
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
