R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, JAN 29
As Tamil Nadu heads towards a high-stakes Assembly election later this year, the State’s political equations have entered a decisive phase, with actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) floating a possible alliance with the Congress, even as the national party firmly reaffirms its commitment to the DMK-led front after a crucial intervention by Rahul Gandhi.
- TVK signals readiness to revive Congress, offers support ahead of Assembly polls
- Congress publicly cool to Vijay’s pitch, says Rahul is its only ‘boost’
- Vijay draws sharp battle lines: DMK political enemy, BJP ideological rival
- Rahul–Kanimozhi meet seals DMK–Congress unity, shuts door on TVK tie-up
- Power-sharing tensions defused, seat-sharing talks pushed to committee
- Numbers game ahead as Congress likely to settle for modest seat rise
Fueling speculation, S A Chandrashekar, father of Vijay, said TVK was actively considering backing the Congress to help the party reclaim its lost stature.
“The Congress has a history and a legacy. Vijay is ready to give them support and get them back to their old glory. Congress fought for independence and is a party that is now declining,” he said.
He added, “They have been giving support to other parties and are declining day by day. Vijay is ready to support them and get them back to their old glory. It is up to Congress to take this opportunity.”
Chandrashekar also revealed that Vijay had been advised by several quarters to contest the elections alone, arguing that his mass appeal could deliver a victory without alliances. Yet, the TVK chief appears keen on reshaping Tamil Nadu politics by positioning himself as a catalyst for reviving national parties sidelined in the State.
However, the Congress wasted little time in publicly downplaying the offer. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K Selvaperunthagai rejected the idea of an alliance, asserting that the party was already energised under its national leadership.
“Look at our cadres, you will notice that they have had the boost already. Our leader Rahul Gandhi is giving us boost, horlicks and bournvita that we need. Nevertheless, I thank him for the offer,” he said.
The developments came amid Vijay’s aggressive political posturing, in which he trained his guns on all major players in Tamil Nadu. He labelled the DMK as TVK’s political enemy, dismissed the AIADMK as corrupt, and described the BJP as his ideological adversary, sharpening his outsider narrative ahead of the polls.
Even as TVK made its overtures, the DMK–Congress alliance quietly but firmly stitched itself back together. A high-level meeting between DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi and Rahul Gandhi, lasting less than 30 minutes, is said to have ironed out all recent differences. Sources say Gandhi categorically conveyed that the Congress would not pursue any move—political or strategic—that could strain its alliance with the DMK, including discussions around power-sharing or alternative alliances.
Crucially, Gandhi is also said to have ruled out any alignment with Vijay’s TVK, effectively shutting the door on speculation triggered by recent statements and social media chatter. The meeting put to rest months of unease caused by sharp public remarks and tweets from Congress leaders such as Manickam Tagore and Praveen Chakravarty, which had drawn strong reactions from DMK leaders.
The Congress leadership reportedly reassured the DMK that seat-sharing would be finalised through the alliance’s committee mechanism, and not through public posturing. Gandhi also flagged concerns over the treatment of certain Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu, seeking redressal. At the same time, DMK leaders explained how handling figures like Girish Chodankar required sensitivity to avoid disturbing alliance equations. It was agreed that a senior leader such as Mukul Wasnik would accompany Chodankar during formal talks.
A week earlier, a section of Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu had met Mallikarjun Kharge, with some even exploring the idea of aligning with the TVK. Kharge, however, insisted on continuing the DMK alliance—a stance that Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with Kanimozhi has now decisively reinforced.
Behind the scenes, the numbers game remains unresolved. Sources say the Congress, which earlier claimed it was the biggest ally and demanded no fewer than 70 seats, has now scaled down expectations. The party is likely to settle for 25–30 seats, up from the 18 constituencies it won in 2021. While Congress had initially pushed for 42 seats and later indicated flexibility at 38, the DMK has reportedly agreed only to a marginal increase, from 25 to 28 seats.
With the alliance strain largely eased but negotiations yet to begin in earnest, political observers say the coming weeks will determine whether the DMK–Congress partnership emerges stronger—or merely stitched together for electoral arithmetic. For now, Vijay’s gambit has added drama to the race, but the Congress appears unwilling to bet its future on a new player at the cost of a tested alliance.
