The Indian National Congress party has ended its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to support actor-politician Vijay and his party, Thalapathy Vijay Kazhagam (TVK).
This political shift alters the balance of power in the Tamil Nadu assembly, potentially paving the way for a new administration led by a cinematic star turned politician. The move signals a strategic realignment for Congress as it seeks a more prominent role in the state's governance and future electoral cycles.
TVK won 108 seats [1] in the 234-member [2] assembly. While the majority threshold is 118 seats [3], the combined strength of TVK and Congress, which holds five seats [4], brings the coalition total to 113 [5].
Reports indicate that a new government could be formed as early as May 7, 2026 [6]. This follows an invitation from S. A. Chandrasekhar, the father of Vijay, who said, "We invite Congress to join us" [7].
The partnership is intended to extend beyond the immediate formation of the state government. An AICC spokesperson said, "The Congress's alliance with TVK is not only for the formation of this government, but also for future elections to the local body organisations, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha" [8].
Congress aims to establish a secular agenda through this partnership while securing influence in local and national legislative bodies. The decision to walk out of the DMK alliance suggests a desire for the party to move from a junior partner role to a more influential position within a new coalition framework.
“Congress has ended its alliance with DMK and decided to support Vijay’s TVK”
The alliance between Congress and TVK creates a formidable bloc that, while still slightly short of a clear majority, positions Vijay as the primary claimant to the chief minister's office. By breaking with the DMK, Congress is betting that a partnership with a rising populist force like TVK will provide better leverage in future state and national elections than its previous arrangement with the established DMK machinery.
