NEW DELHI,8 May 2026: The stand-off between Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar and superstar actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam – which won 108 seats in last month’s election to finish as the single-largest party, though 10 short of majority – seemed to have opened the doors for an unprecedented Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance.
But hours later sources said: “nothing has been decided on outside support to the AIADMK”. Sources insisted the DMK would honour the governor’s decision to give Vijay time till May 10, and only try to form a government if the TVK cannot.
Earlier Friday, it was learned that the AIADMK had been asked to cut ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party, a ‘communal party’ – with which it had allied for the election – before any discussion. The DMK indicated it could only then consider external support, though with additional conditions, such as ministerial berths for smaller allies like the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.
The DMK reportedly hopes this will persuade the VCK to deny Vijay two more seats as he tries to put together a post-poll coalition. And that plan seems to be working; separately, sources said the VCK – which seemed to be leaning towards Vijay – is now back with the DMK and is talking to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India.
The CPM and CPI were also approached by Vijay, who seems to be working off a Congress + Left + VCK formula to pick up nine extra seats to put the TVK inches from the majority mark of 118. But the Left, which has four seats, is not seen to be in favour of a DMK-AIDMK alliance, preferring to stay neutral or, as some within want, move to ally with Vijay and the TVK.
CPI General Secretary D Raja told reporters Arlekar must follow “established practices, conventions” and invite Vijay to have first shot at forming the government. On a possible DMK-AIADMK deal, he said: “I do not know…”
The Congress has committed its five seats, a switch that means it is now fighting the DMK, with whom it won three elections in the past seven years. Manickam Tagore – among a handful who anticipated Vijay’s triumph and pushed for a pre-poll deal – this morning accused the DMK of having ‘betrayed secularism’ by aligning with the ‘BJP’s B team’, i.e., the AIADMK.
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