Chennai: After much speculation and discussions over the Congress joining hands with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)—a new party that won a huge mandate in Tamil Nadu following counting of results Monday but fell short of majority—the former has officially declared that it is extending conditional support to the TVK.
In a statement put out Wednesday afternoon, the party said TVK chief C. Vijay had formally requested the Congress 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 Indian National Congress stands for, and is the founding political party for, secular, progressive and welfarist politics in India. It is our constitutional duty to respect, uphold and help fulfil this mandate of the people of Tamil Nadu,” the statement read.
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… pic.twitter.com/Aig79MoRoE
— Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (@INCTamilNadu) May 6, 2026
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) have accordingly decided to extend full support to the TVK to form the government, it read.
“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,” it added.
Signed by Girish Chodankar, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, the statement asserted that the alliance between the TVK and 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 B.R. Ambedkar’s constitutional ideals.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu Congress President K. Selvaperunthaga and other Congress leaders meet TVK chief Vijay at the TVK Headquarters in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) has decided to extend its full support to the TVK to form the… pic.twitter.com/lOI44jPg2j
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2026
It further said the alliance was also for future elections to local body organisations, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and aimed to fulfil the dreams and promises of the people, especially the youth of Tamil Nadu.
Responding to the Congress’s decision to support the TVK, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram told the media: “It has been discussed at all appropriate forums of the party, and unanimously, the Congress has decided to support a government headed by the TVK because we believe the people of Tamil Nadu want a change, but they also want a change which is headed by the TVK and is also a secular formation.”
“I think the people of Tamil Nadu are very clear that they want a secular formation. So, we are only aiding and assisting the TVK to put together a secular and stable government.”
The Congress was earlier associated with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA). It won five seats in the assembly Monday.
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DMK cries foul
DMK leaders termed the Congress as “backstabbers” for joining the TVK, and indicated that the party had been showing support to the TVK right from the beginning.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told the media Wednesday: “Right from the beginning, there were talks that some people wanted to support Vijay and join his party.”
On the other hand, Congress leaders defended the move to join the TVK by referring to the people’s verdict and stated that they only wanted to support the people’s choice. Party leaders also blamed the DMK for the party suffering “collateral damage”.
On social media, Congress leader Manickam Tagore pointed out that the verdict had gone against the DMK that was in power so far.
“Half the ministers in the cabinet have lost their seats. We faced collateral damage for no fault of ours. Now, the 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?”
Political observers remained wary of the risks associated with the TVK-Congress alliance.
Political analyst Sumanth Raman in a post on X said the exit of the Congress from its long-standing alliance with the DMK would be a significant moment in the political scenario of Tamil Nadu. The Congress may be betting on the TVK as a long-term partner option but that comes with risks, as the TVK is as yet an unknown quantity.
“For the DMK, if the TVK and Congress become the choice of the minorities, as it well could, it is an existential threat. It was the minority vote that gave the DMK alliance a 12 percent-15 percent cushion in the polls. If that goes, their chances of winning drops dramatically.”
“For the AIADMK too, there is an existential crisis. EPS is now a leader who is unable to attract young voters (or even enough older voters), its IT wing, such an important factor for both the TVK and DMK, is non-existent, their western bastion invincibility has been shattered and there does not appear to be another leader who can galvanise the party,” he stated.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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