The Indian National Congress announced its support for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay to form the Tamil Nadu state government on Monday.

This shift marks a potential collapse of the long-standing alliance between Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The move disrupts the established power dynamics in the southern state as a new political entity seeks to take control of the assembly.

The decision follows the live counting of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election results. A Congress spokesperson said the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government, and it is determined not to have BJP and its proxies run the government in the southern state.

TVK has claimed significant gains in the 234-seat assembly [1]. While one report indicated the party's tally would rise to 113 seats [2], another report said that TVK crossed the majority mark of 118 seats [1].

Vijay, the TVK chief, has targeted the leadership of the DMK. He said the DMK bloc is a "cash-box alliance" and questioned the authority of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin (DMK), stating that if Stalin had "full power," certain regional issues would have been resolved [3].

The DMK has opposed the Congress decision. The party has labeled the emerging alliance between Congress and TVK as a "cash-box" arrangement, echoing the language used by Vijay during the campaign.

Congress officials said the move is necessary to ensure a secular administration. This strategy aims to block the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from gaining influence in the state through proxy candidates or strategic partnerships.

“The mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government”

The alignment of the Indian National Congress with Vijay's TVK represents a strategic gamble to pivot away from the DMK in favor of a rising political force. By backing a debutant party that claims to have reached or exceeded the 118-seat majority mark, Congress is attempting to maintain its role as a kingmaker while preventing the BJP from establishing a foothold in Tamil Nadu.