The Indian National Congress (INC) on Tuesday indicated its willingness to support the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) as the latter party tries to shore up its numbers to form the government in Tamil Nadu. INC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal on Tuesday said that the TVK has formally reached out to the party seeking its support to form the government in Tamil Nadu. He also directed the State unit, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), to take a decision based on TVK’s request.
“The Congress is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular govt, committed to protecting the constitution in letter and spirit. The Congress is determined not to have the BJP and proxies run the Government of Tamil Nadu in any manner,” Venugopal told mediapersons after a meeting of the AICC on Tuesday night. Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to take a final decision on Vijay’s request, “keeping in view the sentiments of the State, reflected in the electoral verdict”, said Venugopal.
The TVK scored an emphatic victory in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. With 108 seats, C Joseph Vijay’s TVK is 10 short of the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly. The INC (5 seats), along with potential backing from Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (1) and the Left parties (4 combined), can comfortably bridge that gap to take the tally to 118.
There have been signals of warming up between the TVK and Congress, with leaders of both the parties exchanging messages on the victory. TN Congress leaders also skipped the meeting convened by MK Stalin on Tuesday, further reinforcing the perception that it is keeping its options open, rather than committing to its traditional ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X on Monday, said: “I spoke to Thiru Vijay and congratulated him on TVK’s spectacular result. This mandate reflects the rising voice of youth which cannot, and will not, be ignored.”
In his reply on Tuesday, Vijay said: “We shall remain committed to excellence in public service, and preserving the cultural ethos of our State which requires collective cooperation. Beyond politics, we shall prioritise for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu.”
However, the Congress faces a strategic dilemma. Supporting TVK in Chennai could strain its relationship with the DMK at the national level, where Parliamentary arithmetic and issue-based coordination still matter. That explains the hesitation, party sources told businessline.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), after a meeting with DMK on Tuesday, said it is not thinking about a coalition with the TVK. “We are still with the DMK. We are for secularism. We will proceed with this alliance for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu,” VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, told mediapersons.
Premalatha Vijayakanth’s remarks on Tuesday also hinted at a soft corner for Vijay, though the DMDK’s formal alignment with DMK remains the same. Meanwhile, messages from Narendra Modi indicate Centre’s readiness to work with a TVK-led government, suggesting that Vijay may not face immediate friction from New Delhi. Vijay’s reply to Modi, including the mention of “transcending politics”, signal an attempt to position himself as a consensus-builder rather than a disruptor.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bharatiya Janata Party, for now, appear to be staying out of the equation. The immediate next step is procedural, but crucial. TVK MLAs will elect Vijay as the leader of its legislative party, clearing the path for him to stake claim as Chief Minister.
A political analyst said that while it is too early to comment, the TVK needs to choose between multiple parties, including Congress along with MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML and one big party, the AIADMK. However, it will be hard bargain between the TVK and coalition partners.
Being the largest party, the Governor will call Vijay to form the government, the analyst said. Even as media agencies report on likely date of swearing in, sources in TVK note that a core group of MLAs are engaged in meetings with party leader Vijay deciding on these specifics, and decisions will be conveyed by way of a statement.
Published on May 5, 2026