Vijay's TVK Rules Out Alliance with BJP, DMK for 2026
The line-up of alliances for the 2026 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu appears to be nearly complete with actor Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), announcing that it will have no truck with the 'ideological enemy,' the BJP, or the 'political enemy,' the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has aligned with the BJP for the election, which rules out TVK joining hands with the AIADMK. TVK itself ensured that the AIADMK will not able to have any truck with it by announcing that Vijay will be the chief ministerial candidate.
Speaking to Frontline recently, K.G. Arunraj, TVK's general secretary (propaganda and policy), had said: 'TVK does not need any tie-up with any party. Vijay is a phenomenon unlike anything Tamil Nadu politics has seen before. But we are still open to anyone who wants to be part of our front. We will welcome them.'
Similar sentiments were expressed by senior leaders of the party in separate conversations with this correspondent.
On the stage of an executive committee meeting on July 4, Vijay himself clarified, yet again, that his party does not need any of the established parties. 'TVK is not DMK or AIADMK to ally with the BJP for selfish political gains. If we form an alliance, it will always be against both the DMK and the BJP,' he thundered to the loud acceptance of the boisterous and partisan gathering of executive committee members, who are yet to transition from a fan club into a political party cadre.
Also Read | Thalapathy Vijay's grand political entry stumbles on basic ideological contradictions
Main alliances in fray
There are two main alliances in the race for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election. One is led by the ruling DMK and includes the Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK). This alliance, which also includes a few smaller sub-regional parties, has stayed intact since the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
The AIADMK-led front has the BJP as the lead partner, although the national party's strength in the State is minuscule. A clutch of one-man parties, such as the ones run by John Pandian, A.C. Shanmugham, and Pari Vendhar, are also part of this alliance. But none of these parties have any heft and are largely in the front for the leaders' personal reasons and because the BJP is part of it. The two sub-regional parties that the front wants in its fold are the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
Miffed over AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami not offering the DMDK a Rajya Sabha, party leader Premalatha announced that the party would make an announcement on alliances in January 2026. 'There is no need to hastily join anyone,' she told mediapersons, in response to a question, adding that any front that respects the DMDK's contribution will be the party's preferred alliance partner.
PMK's internal troubles
The PMK is in the middle of a huge internal dispute between founder and and current president S. Ramadoss and his son, Anbumani. Party sources said that Anbumani was keen on joining hands with the BJP but Ramadoss would have none of it. However, political analysts in the State insist that both father and son are essentially saying the same thing: Ramadoss is comfortable with an alliance with the AIADMK and the son wants to tie up with the BJP. Since both are in the same alliance, there should not be a problem.
But the issue has now been sucked into family war turf. Every day there are expulsions and counter expulsions. For instance, on July 5, Ramadoss threw Anbumani out of an executive body, only for Anbumani's advisor Arul Rathinam to hit out, claiming that the expulsion had no effect because Ramadoss had no powers to do so. Anbumani is on record saying that he is now president and cannot be removed by anyone barring the elected general council. Anbumani has packed this forum with his supporters.
There have been several mediation efforts but given the complex situation in the PMK, no such ceasefire talks have been effective so far. The PMK is still quite the force in some northern Tamil Nadu constituencies where it can be the deciding factor. This is why Palaniswami called all like-minded parties to join hands against the DMK. 'It is our objective that all like-minded parties should come together and contest the election,' Palaniswami told mediapersons on July 5. Asked if he will join hands with TVK, he said: 'We will be happy to align with those who want to remove the DMK government.'
Also Read | Ramadoss-Anbumani face off as PMK's general council meeting turns stormy
AIADMK, BJP begin outreach
On July 7, Palaniswami began his State-wide public outreach tour from Coimbatore to make people of Tamil Nadu aware of the 'anti-people policies' of the 'corrupt and inefficient' DMK government. 'The Stalin government has not fulfilled a majority of the promises it made ahead of the [2021] election. The people of Tamil Nadu are angry because of this,' he said in an open letter to his party members.
The BJP is slated to begin its 2026 election campaign with a zonal conference in Tirunelveli on August 17. The party has decided to organise six more such conferences ahead of the election. Apart from strengthening the grass-roots party structure, the conferences will showcase the achievements of 11 years of BJP rule at the Centre.
In effect, political parties in the State have begun preparing for the 2026 election way ahead of time. Before the 2021 election, preparations were muted until about six months before the election. This time, election season has begun about 10 months ahead.
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