Tiruchi, June 22: In what is likely to spark speculation of a rift between the Congress and its alliance partner DMK in Tamil Nadu, a senior leader of MK Stalin-led party KN Nehru on Saturday expressed his opinion to contest local body polls alone. Nehru said, “It'll be good if we contest alone in local body polls because for how many days should we carry the palanquin for them.” Congress, DMK 'Unhappy' With Me Over India's Rapid Global Strides, Says PM Modi in Tamil Nadu.

The senior DMK leader further added that it was his opinion but he would follow the instructions of party leader Stalin. He stated, “It's my opinion but I will agree with what my leader (MK Stalin) says. If he asks us to carry Congress on our shoulders, we are ready.”

KN Nehru's statement:

Nehru made the statement while taking part in a protest organised in Tiruchi by DMK against the ruling AIADMK for its failure to address the problem of water scarcity in the state. The Tiruchi West MLA also credited Stalin for the Congress-DMK alliance victory in Tamil Nadu in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. The alliance had won 37 seats out of 39 in the general elections 2019. Congress-DMK Is an Alliance of Corruption and Dynastic Politics: Amit Shah.

Meanwhile, local body polls in the state are taking place after three years. Earlier in June, the Tamil Nadu government issued a notification in the Gazette listing all the wards vacant across Chennai. There are a total of 200 wards in the Chennai City Municipal Corporation. Of these, 16 are reserved for Scheduled Caste, 16 for Scheduled Caste women and 89 for women in the General category.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 22, 2019 04:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).