DMK Calls Congress Support for Vijay’s TVK a ‘Backstab’ in Tamil Nadu

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai has publicly accused the Congress party of backstabbing the people of Tamil Nadu, reacting to the Congress party’s indication that it may support actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form the next state government.

The Details

According to PTI and the Navhind Times, Annadurai called the Congress party ‘backstabbers’ after Congress indicated it may support TVK to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal announced on X (formerly Twitter) that TVK President Vijay requested the Indian National Congress for support to form a government in Tamil Nadu, and that the Congress leadership directed the TNCC to take a final decision. Venugopal stated, ‘TVK President Thiru Vijay has requested the Indian National Congress for support to form a Government in Tamil Nadu… The INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government that is committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit.’ Additionally, according to Hindustan Times, Congress stated that 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 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, TVK won 108 seats in the 234-seat assembly, falling 10 seats short of the 118 majority needed. DMK won 59 seats as part of a pre-poll alliance with the Congress, and the two parties have been long-time allies in the state.

Annadurai told PTI that the Congress party had decided to ally with TVK, pledging their support to the party. He said, ‘I think they have backstabbed… They have backstabbed the people of Tamil Nadu. They’ve backstabbed the mandate given by the people of Tamil Nadu.’ He added, ‘Even before the ink on the returning officer’s signature on the victory certificate dried up, they’ve chosen to go ahead with an alliance.’ Annadurai also stated that DMK had supported Congress ‘through and through’ and that DMK leader MK Stalin had projected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

Context

Actor Vijay (Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar) launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, which emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections but fell short of a majority. The DMK and Congress have been part of the INDIA bloc alliance at the national level, making the potential split significant beyond Tamil Nadu state politics. When asked if a tie-up with Vijay will spell the end of the decades-old alliance with the DMK, Annadurai responded, ‘It is for the Congress to decide.’

What's Next

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) is expected to take the final decision on whether to extend support to TVK, following the Congress leadership’s directive. The outcome could determine whether the Congress–DMK alliance at the state and national levels continues or collapses.