DMK and Congress Rift Widens Following Tamil Nadu Election Disagreements

The INDIA bloc faces an deepening crisis as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) continues its aggressive public campaign against the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi. Tensions escalated following the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, where the Congress party opted to form a separate alliance with Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), a move the DMK described as a betrayal. The DMK's mouthpiece, 'Murasoli', recently labeled Rahul Gandhi's leadership as "politically immature" and accused the Congress of weakening the opposition alliance for short-term state-level gains.

Simultaneously, Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the central government regarding the deaths of three Indian sailors on June 10. The seafarers were killed after a Palau-flagged vessel, the 'MT Settebello', came under fire from US naval forces during a mission in the Gulf of Oman. Gandhi has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of maintaining a "silent" and "compromised" stance, alleging that the government has failed to protect its citizens' rights against American military orders which prohibit violations of the US-led blockade on Iranian ports.

The crisis over the sailors' deaths coincides with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France for the G7 summit, where he is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump. Ties between New Delhi and Washington remain strained due to lingering trade grievances and the recent casualties. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has formally protested the incidents to US counterparts, while the US State Department has maintained that commercial vessels must comply with American instructions to ensure security in the region, adding a complex layer of diplomatic friction to the bilateral meeting.