- By Raju Kumar
- Wed, 06 May 2026 08:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Vijay Factor: The emergence of the Vijay factor not only impacted Tamil Nadu's political landscape but, it is set to shape national politics as well. Soon after Congress announced its support for Vijay, who led the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) to form a government in Tamil Nadu, the DMK, a key ally in the INDIA bloc, reacted sharply, calling it a 'stab in the back. The INDIA bloc contested the Tamil Nadu polls 2026 unitedly, in which it was defeated at the hands of the TVK. Post-elections, Congress drifted away towards the winning side.
What Congress Said On DMK's Criticism?
The Congress rejected allegations that it had "backstabbed" its long-time ally DMK for power by supporting the TVK, saying it never sought any post when their alliance was ruling Tamil Nadu and even the DMK had parted ways with it in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Quiz
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"This cannot be called backstabbing," the Congress' media and publicity chairperson, Pawan Khera, said and asked "what is the issue" if like-minded parties were forming the government in the state.
Earlier, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Anadurai said, "The Congress party has decided to ally with the TVK, pledging their support to the party. I think they have backstabbed. They have backstabbed the people of Tamil Nadu. They've backstabbed the mandate given by the people of Tamil Nadu."
Why Has Congress Deserted DMK?
Vijay-led TVK secured an impressive 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly on its maiden electoral debut and trounced the incumbent DMK led by Stalin, which finished with only 59 seats. The Congress has won five seats. TVK sought support from Congress to fill the gap to reach the majority mark of 118. The DMK's other allies-- the IUML, CPI, CPI (M) and VCK won two seats each, and the DMDK secured one. Soon after the results were announced, TVK leadership reached out to small gainers, including Congress. During poll campaigns, Vijay has been attacking the DMK and AIADMK, but not Congress, which made it easier to come together. Congress might have thought that it might bring both the DMK and the TVK into the INDIA bloc fold, which will certainly strengthen the Opposition in future.
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Will The DMK Hit Back At Congress By Exiting From The INDIA Bloc?
The DMK, one of the oldest allies of the Congress party since 1971, and was part of the UPA regimes from 2004 to 2013, is a key member of the Opposition's INDIA Bloc with 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha and 22 in the Lok Sabha. The DMK has not formally announced its exit from the bloc, yet there is buzz in the state.
Affect On National Politics
If the DMK deserts, the INDIA bloc's strength will further thin in the Parliament. Currently, the Congress-led alliance has 79 MPs in the Rajya Sabha and 234 in the Lok Sabha. A thin INDIA bloc means an advantage to the ruling NDA. In future, if TVK comes into the INDIA bloc camp, its numerical strength may go up, but for now, Vijay factor indirectly weakened the Opposition, causing a rift between the DMK and Congress.
Taking a cue from the Left and TMC, two rivals accommodated in the opposition bloc, if DMK and the TVK come together in national politics to counter the NDA, today's development will definitely go in favour of the Opposition side. The popularity of actor-turned-politician Vijay is no secret. His presence in the INDIA bloc will help to increase the visibility of opposition.
(With Agencies inputs)