Rahul, Kharge pay tribute to Karunanidhi on birth anniversary amid Congress-DMK strain

The birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) patriarch Muthuvel Karunanidhi on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) became an occasion for top Congress leaders to reach out to their former ally amid signs of strain in ties between the two parties.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge paid tributes to Mr. Karunanidhi, popularly known as “Kalaignar”, describing him as a beloved leader of Tamil Nadu.

In a post on X, Mr. Kharge said Mr. Karunanidhi’s lifelong commitment to social justice, equality, rational thought and democratic values transformed countless lives. “Kalaignar Karunanidhi’s immense contribution to public life, including art and literature, will forever be remembered with deep respect,” he added.

Significantly, the Congress president tagged former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M.K. Stalin in his post.

In a separate post on X, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also paid rich tributes to the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, saying he spent his life fighting for the dignity of the Tamil people, for social justice, and for the rights of the marginalised.

“Not just a Chief Minister — he was a writer, a poet, a thinker. He believed in a Constitution that treats every Indian as equal,” Mr. Gandhi said. 

Mr. Kharge’s tagging of the DMK chief in his X post and Mr. Gandhi’s sharing of a photograph of him offering flowers to a portrait of Mr. Karunanidhi are being seen as attempts to assuage the DMK leadership, which is reportedly upset over the Congress’ tie-up with actor-turned politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and its reported bid to be a part of the Tamil Nadu government.

Mr. Karunanidhi served multiple terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and remained one of the key allies of the Congress in the State for decades before his death in 2018.