The political battle between the Congress and the DMK has intensified after Congress MP Manickam Tagore strongly defended his party’s decision to leave the DMK-led alliance and support actor-turned-politician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government in Tamil Nadu.
According to Tagore, the Congress backed TVK mainly to prevent the BJP from gaining political influence in Tamil Nadu. He claimed the party could not accept any possibility of indirect understanding between the DMK and the BJP-backed NDA ecosystem.
Responding to criticism from DMK leaders, Tagore said the Congress had stood with the DMK “during difficult times” and accused some DMK leaders of showing a lack of gratitude after the alliance split.
The Congress decision marked a dramatic political shift in Tamil Nadu politics. For years, the Congress and DMK were key allies under the Secular Progressive Alliance and had jointly contested several elections successfully. Earlier this year, Tagore himself had publicly described the DMK as a “long-term ally” of the Congress before the alliance equation changed after the Assembly election results.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election produced a fractured verdict, with TVK emerging as the single-largest party by winning over 100 seats but falling short of a majority. Congress later extended support to Vijay’s party, helping TVK form the government.
Tagore argued that supporting Vijay was necessary to “protect the secular fabric” of Tamil Nadu and claimed TVK had received strong backing from youth and women voters across the state.
The political fallout has triggered sharp reactions from the DMK. Senior DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin reportedly stated that the party would “never trust Congress again,” accusing the national party of betrayal after decades of alliance politics.
Meanwhile, the Vijay-led government recently expanded its cabinet by inducting 23 new ministers, including two Congress MLAs, formally bringing Congress into the Tamil Nadu government after decades.
Political observers say the Congress-TVK partnership has completely reshaped Tamil Nadu’s traditional political structure, ending the long-standing dominance of the DMK-AIADMK binary and creating a new coalition era in the state.
Analysts also note that the Congress move reflects the party’s attempt to remain politically relevant in Tamil Nadu by aligning with Vijay’s rapidly growing popularity among young voters and urban sections. At the same time, the alliance shift has severely damaged relations between Congress and the DMK at both the state and national levels.
The growing tensions between former allies are expected to influence future alliance politics not only in Tamil Nadu but also within the broader INDIA bloc ahead of upcoming national elections.
