DMK Chief MK Stalin urges Rahul Gandhi to not step down after Congress president calls to congratulate over UPA's Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections performance

Adding to the legion of leaders requesting Congress president Rahul Gandhi to not step down as the Congress chief, DMK president M K Stalin on Monday has had a telephonic conversion conversation with Gandhi to dissuade him from resigning. During the call, Gandhi wished Stalin for his instrumental role in the UPA's victory in Tamil Nadu where DMK amassed 23 seats while the alliance won 37 seats in total.

While the DMK Chief has been invited for PM-elect Modi's swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavani on Thursday, reports have emerged that Stalin is likely to attend Andhra Pradesh CM designate Jagan Mohan Reddy's swearing-in ceremony in Vijayawada on the same day.

2019 Lok Sabha Election Results For Tamil Nadu: Resurgent DMK-Congress Brush Aside AIADMK, Win 31 Seats Out Of 38 After Years Of Tumult

While the DMK trumped its rival AIADMK which only one seat (Theni) in the state and the BJP won none, it did not achieve its aim of unseating the AIADMK from the state assembly. The DMK won 13 of the 22 Assembly seats while AIADMK won 9 in the Assembly by-polls which ran concurrent to the Lok Sabha polls.

The Lok Sabha was a first where both Tamil Nadu veteran politicians late former AIADMK chief Jayalalitha and late former DMK Chief M Karunanidhi were absent.

WATCH: Tamil Nadu BJP Slams Kamal Haasan And State Congress Chief Alagiri On 'Hindu Terror' Statements, Alleges Underlying Reasons For Controversial Remarks

The by-polls which were held on April 18 and May 19 were key to determining the fate of the EPS-led AIADMK government in the state which were revealed along with the general election results on May 23. The AIADMK had 113 out of the 235 seats in the assembly (one is a nominated seat) while the DMK had 88. The Congress had eight and there are two independents along with the 22 vacant seats. 

With the addition of 9 seats to its Assembly tally, the EPS-led AIADMK government is comfortably over the halfway mark of the 235-seats strong Assembly, retaining its majority.