DMDK joins DMK-led alliance ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly polls

This comes at a time when the Congress is playing the hardball with the DMK over power share

Chennai: The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) of late actor Vijayakanth on Thursday joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) for the first time in 21 years of its existence, in a significant boost to the ruling party.

Premalatha Vijayakanth, general secretary of the DMDK, met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin at Anna Arivalayam, the party’s headquarters here.

This is a major boost for Stalin’s efforts to further strengthen the DMK alliance. This also comes at a time when the Congress is playing the hardball with the DMK over power share.

“I am very happy to welcome DMDK to the SPA,” Stalin said in a social media post.

This is the first time that the DMDK has joined the DMK alliance. In 2016 and 2019, DMK’s efforts to bring DMDK into its alliance failed.

The development is also setback to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which was also negotiating with the DMDK.