No divide in INDIA bloc, says Raut; calls TVK 'alternative friend' of alliance

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday asserted there was no divide in the INDIA bloc, and maintained that the opposition grouping has got an "alternative friend" in the form of TVK with the DMK started maintaining distance.

In a major setback for the opposition alliance, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) said on Thursday that it would stay away from the alliance's meeting in New Delhi on June 8 because the Congress would be taking part in it.

After the results of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections announced last month, the DMK had accused the Congress of backstabbing and betraying it for offering post-poll support to actor-politician Vijay's fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for government formation.


The Congress had contested the assembly polls as part of the pre-poll alliance with the DMK.

Talking to reporters, Raut said through the TVK quota, the Congress has got a Rajya Sabha seat vacated by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

"It is wrong to say that there is a divide in the INDIA bloc. The DMK only started maintaining a distance after the Tamil Nadu polls. Instead, we got TVK. Don't say there is a divide, but INDIA bloc has an alternative friend," the Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member said.

Raut said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray will decide who will attend the India bloc meeting on on behalf of the party.