The Congress party has extended conditional support to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to help form the next Tamil Nadu government [1].
This shift represents a major political realignment in the state, as Congress has broken its pre-poll alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to prevent a DMK-led administration [1].
Five newly elected Congress legislators arrived at the TVK headquarters in Panayur, Tamil Nadu, to formalize the arrangement [1]. These five members of the legislative assembly have pledged their support to help TVK establish the government [2].
A Congress spokesperson said, "Congress has left its alliance with the DMK and decided to support Vijay's TVK" [2]. The party stipulated that its support is contingent on TVK refusing to ally with the DMK [1].
The move has sparked immediate backlash from the former partner. A DMK spokesperson said, "We feel backstabbed by our partner in the INDIA bloc" [3].
The sudden departure from the pre-election pact leaves the DMK isolated from its previous partner as the state prepares for the oath ceremony. The agreement between Congress and TVK focuses specifically on ensuring that the DMK does not lead the next government [1].
“"We feel backstabbed by our partner in the INDIA bloc."”
The decision by Congress to pivot toward the TVK suggests a strategic effort to diminish the DMK's influence in Tamil Nadu. By making its support conditional on the exclusion of the DMK, Congress is attempting to reshape the power dynamics of the region and potentially distance itself from the DMK's leadership within the broader national INDIA bloc.
