Chennai: AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar on Tuesday stated that Congress functionaries were 'by and large' in favor of extending support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Chodankar confirmed that he has communicated this feedback from party members to the high command. 'The high command will make the final decision,' he said, without ruling out the possibility of support from the five Congress MLAs to TVK, which fell short of a majority in the state assembly.
TVK Has Not Sought Support Yet
Chodankar noted that TVK has not contacted him directly for support. 'I don't know if they have contacted anyone else in the party,' he added. He elaborated on the feedback received: 'Messages and phone calls from various cadres and leaders indicate that since the people have given the mandate to TVK, and since they are secular forces, we should support them.'
Congress Meeting and Resolution
Congress held a meeting with its MLAs, during which a resolution was passed authorizing the party leadership in Delhi to decide on a post-poll alliance with TVK. In the 2026 assembly elections, TVK secured 108 seats, ten short of the majority mark of 118.
Rahul Gandhi's Call to Vijay
Speculation intensified after Congress leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, telephoned TVK president Vijay. Further fueling rumors, Congress leaders chose not to visit the DMK headquarters in Chennai to meet Chief Minister M K Stalin, unlike other alliance party leaders.
After the meeting, Congress leader Selvaperunthagai told reporters that the party leadership in Delhi would decide on the alliance. 'Congress is a national party with leaders like INC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. They will decide on aligning with TVK,' he stated.
Manickam Tagore's Perspective
Congress MP Manickam Tagore, an early advocate of a Congress-TVK alliance, echoed similar sentiments. 'The Delhi leadership should decide to prevent BJP's backdoor entry into Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu rejected both DMK and BJP, and Congress became collateral damage in DMK's defeat,' Tagore told TOI.
