DMK parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi attended a tea reception hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the Parliament complex in Delhi on Wednesday, according to reports. Several parties in the INDIA alliance are said to have boycotted the event.
Leaders including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav did not participate. Kanimozhi’s presence, however, drew attention amid ongoing political messaging within the opposition bloc.
The development comes as parties such as the Congress, the two Communist parties, VCK and the Muslim League have been speaking in a unified voice on the proposed Lok Sabha constituency delimitation bill. The DMK, which initially took an opposing position, is now seen as recalibrating its approach.
DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson said the party is not against delimitation, but wants a fair exercise and insisted that Tamil Nadu’s current 7.18% parliamentary representation must be protected. With the DMK’s position appearing closer to the Centre’s line on the issue, the party’s participation in the Speaker’s reception has triggered questions on whether it is signalling proximity to the BJP.
DMK functionaries were quoted as saying the party wants to handle the delimitation issue without compromising its identity while safeguarding state rights. They also claimed the DMK is looking to build a new national alignment and that a future electoral tie-up with the BJP cannot be ruled out, while alleging that party MPs were asked to campaign that the Congress lacks national credibility.
