Chennai: Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, held a telephonic conversation with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay Monday evening to convey condolences over loss of lives in a stampede at a rally held by the actor-politician in Karur on 27 September, a highly placed source in the AIADMK told ThePrint.
It is also learnt that AIADMK general secretary EPS may have proposed an alliance with the TVK for the 2026 assembly elections “to remove DMK government from power”.
“He (Vijay) did not deny. He has conveyed that he is first looking to meet the victims and relaunch his campaign soon. In the course of the campaign, he has assured a meeting in person with LoP (EPS) and will take a call post January,” said the source in the AIADMK.
Another source in the AIADMK said the call went on for close to half hour. “In the call, EPS conveyed his condolences and extended his full support to Vijay’s TVK. Vijay said that they are coping up with the situation and are planning to meet the victims as soon as possible.”
Another senior AIADMK leader, from the state’s western region, confirmed to ThePrint that EPS spoke to Vijay on 6 October. “We did not want to rush it, because he also needs time. We have conveyed that we will extend our full support in opposing the ruling DMK government. He has assured that he would take a call on alliance after 2026 Pongal.”
A TVK spokesperson, while confirming the telephonic conversation between Vijay and EPS, insisted that the details of the conversation will be revealed at an appropriate time.
The interaction between the two leaders comes at a time when the ruling DMK has been holding TVK responsible for the stampede. The AIADMK and BJP, on the other hand, came out in support of Vijay, accusing the ruling DMK of failing to ensure adequate police arrangements and not allocating an appropriate venue for Vijay’s campaign.
Political analysts ThePrint spoke to said an alliance between the AIADMK and TVK is more likely if DMK continues to corner Vijay’s party. “If DMK continues to target Vijay, he does not have an option and he will definitely look for an alliance. This alliance will affect DMK’s prospects. However, it will not happen now, but definitely close to the election, some restructuring will happen,” said professor and political analyst Arun.
Ever since Vijay launched his political party, the actor-turned-politician has always targeted the ruling DMK as its political and the BJP as its ideological enemy. Vijay and his supporters have largely refrained from taking aim at leaders of the AIADMK.
Vijay did, however, question the revival of the AIADMK-BJP alliance. While addressing the gathering in Namakkal on 27 September, he said that the ‘true cadre’ of former chief minister M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa would not accept this tie-up.
Nevertheless, Arun said Vijay has been soft on the AIADMK. “Even in the Namakkal and Karur campaign, Vijay said that AIADMK joined hands with BJP against the words of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. But, he did not find fault with the way AIADMK is functioning and its core politics.” Arun also added that joining hands with the AIADMK might help Vijay build his organisational base, which he said TVK currently lacks.
“Vijay has the mass, but does not have the organisational structure. If he goes with an organisation-strong party like AIADMK, it will take care of the grassroots level organisational issues and TVK will take care of the perception of politics,” he said.
Political analyst N. Sathiya Moorthy held a different view. “He actually needs a sustainable ally. Whether that alliance is going to win or not, he needs an alliance more after the Karur stampede incident. But, we have to see if he is going to join the NDA where it stands today or is he going to join the AIADMK after the latter breaks its ties with BJP. We will have to wait for the answer to that question,” he told ThePrint.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)