Vijay's TVK plans talks with Congress, Left parties to form coalition govt: Sources

Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which won 108 seats in a strong debut in Tamil Nadu, but fell short of a majority, is eyeing talks with the Congress, Left and smaller parties to form a coalition government, sources told India Today TV.

In Short

• Vijay's TVK wins 108 seats in Tamil Nadu polls, falls short of majority
• Party may send invitation to Congress and smaller allies for coalition talks
• Congress denies rift with DMK, says high command to decide on TVK alliance

Actor-politician Vijay, whose Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) made a stunning debut by winning 108 seats in Tamil Nadu, but fell short of a majority, is eyeing talks with the Congress, Left and smaller parties to cobble together numbers for a coalition government, sources told India Today TV. The halfway mark is 118.

Vijay is planning to team up with the Opposition bloc and may hold talks with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India and the Indian Union Muslim League, along with the Congress. An invitation to these parties will be sent soon, sources said.

Notably, the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI (M) and IUML are part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA). In the April 23 polls, the Congress managed to win five seats, while the IUML, CPI, CPI (M) and VCK got two each, among a total of 234 Assembly constituencies in the state. If the Congress and allies decide to ally with the TVK, the Vijay-led party will comfortably cross the majority mark needed for government formation.

The TVK dethroned the MK Stalin-led DMK, which got only 59 seats and emerged as the opposition party.

Vijay later held a meeting with all the newly-elected MLAs and was unanimously elected as the leader of the TVK legislature party.

CONGRESS TO TAKE CALL ON JOINING HANDS WITH TVK

Amid speculation over a possible TVK-Congress government, Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil told India Today TV that the party would take a considered and collective decision, keeping Tamil Nadu’s interests foremost.

“A lot needs to be analysed, but the people of Tamil Nadu have given a clear mandate, and we must accept it wholeheartedly,” Senthil said. He said that the Congress had maintained its ideological consistency through the election, adding that any future decision would align with its commitment to secular values.

On internal differences within the Congress regarding support for TVK, Senthil acknowledged that diverse opinions were part of the party’s culture. “We have the space to speak our minds. But we are not opportunistic. We stand by our ideology and promises to the people,” he said.

Responding to questions on potential talks with TVK, Senthil said the matter rests with the party’s central leadership and parliamentary committee. “Whatever decision the Congress takes will be in the interest of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

He also said the Congress remains aligned with the DMK, denying any rift, and indicating that any shift in stance would emerge only after consultations within the party’s leadership.

Earlier, Vijay's father SA Chandrasekhar openly appealed to the Congress to ally with TVK, saying the actor-politician "will give the power you lost".

“Congress has a history and tradition. Such a Congress, why is it diminishing? Due to lack of power. By supporting some party, they are declining. That power we will give, not we, but Vijay is ready to give. If you get that power, Congress can retain its history. They should utilise this chance,” he said.

TVK STUNS DMK

In a historic upset, the TVK delivered a shock defeat to the DMK, with party chief and caretaker Chief Minister MK Stalin losing his Kolathur seat. The AIADMK was pushed to a distant third, winning 47 seats. The TVK's victory marked the first time in over three decades that Tamil Nadu’s entrenched Dravidian duopoly has been decisively broken.

The AIADMK's allies – Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) won four seats, while the BJP and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) managed one seat each. The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) also won a seat.

Vijay himself registered victories from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies, as TVK clocked an impressive vote share of nearly 35 per cent in its debut election.

Notably, Vijay had announced in February that the TVK would go solo in the Tamil Nadu polls and ruled out alliances with the DMK, AIADMK or the BJP. Positioning his party as an alternative to the established order, he framed the DMK and AIADMK as ideological rivals and centred his campaign on anti-corruption.

If TVK succeeds in forming the government, it would mark a remarkable political milestone, the first time in Tamil Nadu that a party assumes power just over two years after its formation in February 2024.

- Ends
(with inputs from PTI)