Published May 06, 2026 | 6:31 PM ⚊ Updated May 06, 2026 | 6:36 PM
The Congress and the DMK are key constituents of the INDIA bloc at the national level.
Synopsis: Apart from announcing conditional support to Vijay’s TVK to form the government in Tamil Nadu, the Congress also said it would contest future elections in the State with the party, ending its 19-year alliance with the DMK. The move, reportedly made without even a courtesy call to the DMK leadership, has raised questions about its impact on the INDIA bloc at the national level.
The Congress has announced conditional support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Vijay, to form the government in Tamil Nadu, formally ending its 19-year alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the State.
A delegation led by All India Congress Committee (AICC) Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar met Vijay at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur on Wednesday, 6 May, and handed over letters of support from the party’s five MLAs.
“We met TVK president Vijay and conveyed our support. We have also handed over the MLAs’ letters of support. More parties should come forward to support TVK. The people have given their mandate to TVK. The Governor should invite TVK to form the government. Congress will also be part of the new TVK government,” Chodankar told reporters after the meeting.
The Grand Old Party said its support would be conditional on TVK keeping away “communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India,” an apparent reference to the BJP and its allies.
Notably, the party also said it would contest the upcoming local body, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections with the TVK.
The decision is expected to have implications beyond Tamil Nadu because the Congress and the DMK are key constituents of the INDIA bloc at the national level. It also raises questions over whether the DMK will remain in the alliance.
With the Congress leaving the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the coalition’s strength in the Assembly would fall to 69 seats from 73.
If the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the two Left parties — whom Vijay has also reached out to — shift sides, the number would further fall to 63. Even so, the DMK alliance would retain enough seats to stake claim to the Opposition position.
But that has left the DMK no less displeased. Senior leaders in the party said neither Rahul Gandhi nor senior Congress leaders informed the DMK, even as a matter of courtesy, before announcing support to the TVK, and that they came to know about the development only through media reports.
“We have to take it as though they have already walked out of the INDIA alliance,” DMK spokesperson and senior leader TKS Elangovan told South First.
“Several North Indian parties had already distanced themselves from Congress. In Tamil Nadu, we were the only ones who kept them politically alive. Now even that has ended and they have gone away. In fact, if they had not been with us, perhaps we ourselves could have come to power.”
Elangovan said the Congress’ exit from the alliance was not a setback for the DMK, pointing to the party’s performance of winning just five seats despite being allotted 28.
“Congress leaving is actually a good thing. We gave them 28 seats and they managed to win only five. If they had not been with us, perhaps we could have won ourselves. Now that they have left, the INDIA alliance will function even without Congress. The DMK will decide the next course of action at the national level,” he added.
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Political analyst Arun Kumar termed the Congress decision a “foolish historic mistake”, saying it could weaken the idea of a united Opposition front nationally, but was unlikely to hurt the DMK in Tamil Nadu.
“Even within the INDIA bloc, there were already cracks in West Bengal and among the Left parties in Kerala. The DMK acted as the binding force holding these contradictions together. Now that even that link has weakened, there will be difficulties in functioning as a united Opposition in Parliament. When issues like delimitation arise, how will they jointly resist?” Kumar said.
“Similarly, when other parties are expected to rally behind Congress nationally, questions will arise over how that leadership will function.”
Kumar further said the Congress leaving the alliance could lead to two major shifts within the INDIA bloc, though not immediately.
“One possibility is that the INDIA alliance may continue without Congress. Another is that Opposition parties across the country may regroup around the DMK at the national level. But such developments will take a few years,” he said.
“They are extending support merely in the hope that TVK will emerge as a secular force opposing the BJP. But how far that will prove true remains to be seen. Whether TVK will genuinely function as an anti-BJP force can only be understood over time. But the decision they have taken is wrong,” he said.
Also Read: 57 DMK, 25 AIADMK, 10 INC, 4 BJP: Who TVK defeated in Tamil Nadu polls
Amid talks between the TVK and parties within the DMK bloc, sections of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) are also said to be pushing for support to Vijay, much to the chagrin of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
According to AIADMK functionaries, senior leaders SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam have decided in favour of backing the TVK.
It is also learnt that a faction led by Velumani is weighing two options — resigning their MLA posts and recontesting under the TVK banner, or, if enough MLAs back the move, staking claim to the AIADMK itself.
The developments have forced the AIADMK leadership to seriously consider its next move. Senior AIADMK leader Ponnaiyan told South First that a decision could be taken by Wednesday evening.
But political analyst Arun Kumar said it was unlikely that the AIADMK would dump the BJP and directly align with the TVK.
“At most, during the trust vote, they may abstain from voting or walk out without supporting or opposing anyone. They may adopt a soft-handling approach. Beyond that, I don’t think they will do anything drastic,” he said.
Kumar said both the AIADMK and the DMK understand that destabilising a TVK government and forcing another election through President’s Rule could strengthen Vijay by generating public sympathy.
He compared the situation to the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi in 2015.
“Even there, after facing constant troubles from Congress, the government was dissolved and they went back to the people. In the next election, AAP won 67 out of 70 seats. Similarly, if such a situation emerges here, TVK could benefit massively. To avoid that, both major parties are likely to remain relatively calm,” he said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
