Tamil Nadu Assembly Election Results 2026 | Why Congress chose to walk with TVK at the cost of DMK alliance

While the DMK has called the grand old party's move 'myopic', Congress has explained the step as a move to keep BJP allies away from power in the southern state.

Amid the chaos over post-poll alliance in Tamil Nadu after the assembly election results were announced on May 4, the Congress on Wednesday formally extended support to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

The new alliance came at the cost of the party snapping ties with DMK. The two parties had joined hands ahead of the 2004 Lok Sabha polls and apart from a brief separation during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the coalition remained largely intact.

Congress's move has sparked curiosity in political circles of Tamil Nadu, as to why the Congress chose to align with TVK.

While the DMK has called the grand old party's move "myopic", Congress has described the move as a step to keep BJP allies away from power in the southern state.

The party has put forth a condition to keep out "from this alliance any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India."

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Manickam Tagore blamed the DMK of causing "collateral damage" to Congress in the elections.

"Now, BJP is eyeing Tamil Nadu. The question before us is clear: Should we stand with those rejected by the people’s verdict, or should we unite with the force that fought against BJP and fight to stop BJP from ruling Tamil Nadu?" he wrote in a post on X.

Vijay's TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, falling short of the halfway mark (118). He needs the support of 10 MLAs to form a government with a simple majority.

The Congress has won five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has bagged four seats. The CPI, CPI-M and VCK have two seats each. The outgoing ruling party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has won 59 seats while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has won 47 seats.

Besides Congress, TVK is reportedly in talks with CPI, CPI(M) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) to form an alliance.

It was also reported that the majority of the AIADMK MLAs-elect have also expressed their wish to the party leadership to support the TVK in forming the next government. Notably, AIADMK is in alliance with BJP.

If TVK forms a government in the state with external support of AIADMK, the BJP might have a say in the power dynamics of the state.

'Strive to bring back Perunthalaivar Kamaraj's glory days'

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee shared the official letter confirming the support to TVK.

"The President of Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Thiru C Vijay, has formally requested the Indian National Congress (INC) to extend its support for forming a government in Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu, especially the youth, have delivered a very clear, strong and overwhelming verdict for a secular, progressive and welfarist government that believes in constitutional principles. They have chosen the Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) led by Mr. Vijay to form the next government," the letter read.

The letter further read that the Indian National Congress stands for, and is the founding political party for, secular, progressive and welfare politics in India.

"This alliance between the TVK and the Tamil Nadu Congress will strive to bring back Perunthalaivar Kamaraj's glory days of Tamil Nadu, with a strong commitment to Thanthai Periyar's social justice ideals and Dr. BR Ambedkar's constitutional ideals in the years and decades to come," it read.

TVK chief Vijay is set to meet Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday.