Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 28 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Congress president Selva Perunthagai on Sunday asserted that the INDIA bloc remains strong, despite attempts by opposition parties to create confusion within it.

He said the opposition is trying to create rifts in the alliance, but their efforts will not succeed.

'The INDIA alliance cannot be broken as the opposition imagines. This alliance is not formed merely for seat-sharing or capturing power, but out of concern for the nation and its people,' Perunthagai said while addressing the media at Tiruchirappalli Airport.

Perunthagai stated that the Congress-DMK relationship is strong and transparent, unlike what he termed as 'secret or opportunistic alliances.' He added that Congress leaders do not hold secret meetings in Delhi and return, hiding their faces.

He clarified that it is natural in a democracy for alliance partners to express their views and preferences, and this should not be misunderstood as discontent or a reason to leave the alliance. He dismissed claims that turmoil would arise within the DMK-led alliance, saying such expectations of the opposition would never be fulfilled.

Responding to remarks comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to a church with Chief Minister MK Stalin's temple visits, Perunthagai said that visiting temples, churches, or mosques is a matter of personal choice. 'No one has the right to compel anyone to visit a particular place of worship or question them on it. He alleged that such compulsion reflects the ideology of the RSS.'

He further said that Tamil Nadu remains a safe haven for minorities, and accused certain forces of attempting to disturb communal harmony. 'Some want to turn Tamil Nadu into a land of unrest. That will never happen,' he asserted.

Criticising the Union government, Perunthagai claimed that India's foreign policy has failed, stating that friendly nations have turned hostile.

When asked how many seats the Congress would contest in the DMK alliance, he replied sarcastically that the Congress would contest all 234 Assembly constituencies, before leaving the venue. (ANI)