Power sharing will not work in Tamil Nadu: CM Stalin

Chennai: Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin on Wednesday said that power sharing will not work in Tamil Nadu, and completely ruled out the possibility of a coalition government after the upcoming assembly elections. Speaking during a rapid-fire session at a media conclave, Stalin said that the DMK is seeking votes based on its governance record and welfare schemes. He expressed confidence that no alliance other than the DMK-led front can win the upcoming elections. “We are confident of winning 200 seats. In fact, we hope to surpass that number and improve our performance in 2021,” he said, referring to the last assembly elections, in which the DMK won around 135 seats and formed the government.
In his first direct public response to alliance partner Congress’s repeated demands for power sharing, Stalin categorically stated that such an arrangement will not work in the state. However, he reiterated his personal rapport with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying they would face the elections together as alliance partners. Accusing sections of the media of trying to sow confusion within the alliance, Stalin said, “Some people are trying to break the partnership, but it doesn’t matter to us.”