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Congress ends 55 year alliance with DMK in Tamil Nadu, backs Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for government formation after assembly elections.
Congress breaks alliance with DMK after joining hands with TVK. (PTI file)
The Congress on Wednesday broke its decades-old, long-standing alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu after extending its full support to Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for the formation of the new government.
The Congress said that its alliance with the TVK was “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”.
The DMK was part of the NDA government and allied with the BJP between 1999 and 2003.
While officially announcing its alliance with the TVK, Congress in its statement said, “This alliance – founded on mutual respect, appropriate share, and shared responsibility between the two parties – 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.”
Also Read: Congress Agrees To Support Vijay’s TVK To Form Government In Tamil Nadu, May Seek Cabinet Posts
The Congress’s support for the TVK is based on one condition that they will keep “any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India” out of this alliance.
In its official statement, the Congress said, “The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) has decided to extend its full support to the TVK to form the government. Our support shall be conditional upon the TVK keeping out from this alliance any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India.”
DMK Expelled Us From Alliance In 2014 General Elections: Congress
Speaking about the breakaway from the DMK in Tamil Nadu, Congress MP Jothimani said that “in politics, alliances forming and breaking is only natural”.
She said that just a week before the announcement of the 2014 parliamentary elections, DMK had expelled the Congress party from a long-standing alliance, and they were pushed to contest alone.
நீண்ட காலம் காங்கிரஸ் கட்சி திமுக கூட்டணியில பயணித்திருக்கிறது. ஒரு கூட்டணியில் இருக்கும் போது ஏற்ற ,இறக்கங்கள் இருக்கத்தான் செய்யும்.நானே பொதுவெளியில் முரண்பட்டிருக்கிறேன். இப்பொழுது தமிழ்நாட்டின் நலன் மற்றும் எதிர்காலம் கருதி தமிழ்நாடு காங்கிரஸ் கமிட்டி ஒருமனதாக த.வெ.கவுடன்…— Jothimani (@jothims) May 6, 2026
“The Congress party has been journeying in alliance with the DMK for a long time. When you’re in an alliance, there are bound to be ups and downs. I myself have clashed publicly. Now, keeping in mind the welfare and future of Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee has unanimously decided to join an alliance with the TVK. In politics, alliances forming and breaking is only natural. Even the DMK, just a week before announcing the 2014 parliamentary elections, expelled the Congress party from a long-standing alliance. We were suddenly pushed into contesting alone. For that, we didn’t harshly criticise the DMK. We understood it as a political stance,” Jothimani said.
Also Read: ‘Backstabbers’: DMK Vs Congress After Rahul Gandhi Ditches ‘Brother’ Stalin For Vijay
She further added that now “the Congress party is compelled to take a political stance. Therefore, it’s best for us to part ways from the alliance with mutual respect.” She requested that both sides avoid using harsh words.
“Especially in the current situation where the DMK has faced defeat in the elections, and that too with the honourable Chief Minister, elder brother Thiru. M.K. Stalin himself having lost, it’s neither political decency nor the culture of the Congress party to have been in the alliance until yesterday and then criticise it with extreme ferocity. With the political understanding that the breaking of existing alliances and the formation of new ones in politics is only natural, we will move forward on the path of safeguarding the welfare and future of Tamil Nadu,” Jothimani said.
Kanimozhi Says Congress’s Support To TVK Is Its ‘Own Decision’
DMK leader Kanimozhi on Wednesday said the Congress’s decision to extend support to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is an “individual party’s call”.
Speaking to CNN-News18, she said, “It is an individual party’s decision. We don’t have any say in that. We fought the elections together,” referring to the Congress-DMK alliance during the polls.
With Vijay’s TVK emerging as the single-largest party in the assembly elections, the political landscape saw a major power shift. However, with TVK short of 10 seats, speculations were rife over which party would extend its support to Vijay.
The Congress said that Vijay formally requested them to extend their support for forming a government in Tamil Nadu. Now that both parties have officially announced the alliance, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to attend Vijay’s oath-taking ceremony in Chennai.
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