Alleging that the BJP was desperate to bypass the growing anger against it and would attempt to pass the Delimitation Bill in Parliament, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president Manickam Tagore said on Sunday that the Congress and its INDIA bloc allies would continue to oppose it.

Speaking at a press conference in Chennai, Mr. Tagore, referring to the DMK without naming it, said the people of Tamil Nadu would remember who burnt the copies of the Bill (in its earlier avatar) and added he hoped that there would be no change in that stand.

“Who spoke against delimitation? Who supported it? BJP, PMK, and AIADMK. We need to see who joins them. Delimitation is against Tamil Nadu. The ones who are keeping quiet should answer,” he said.

Asked about Electricity Minister Nirmal Kumar’s recent comments that Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar (Congress) would reflect the views of the DMK, Mr. Tagore said, “Shivakumar would represent the interests of Karnataka. I speak for the interests of Tamil Nadu. We are not speaking in one voice. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution unanimously (on Mekedatu), but now, there is disagreement. Nothing else is important except internal politics.”

Mr. Tagore rejected the criticism that his party’s leader Rahul Gandhi “betrayed” Tamil Nadu by not speaking about the Cauvery issue and contended that politics over the issue should be avoided. “Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are not India and Pakistan. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s intention to speak to the Karnataka Chief Minister is a good initiative,” he added.

Published - August 02, 2026 06:46 pm IST