Chennai: A month after its poor performance in the assembly elections, the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced its exit from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Party Focus on Strengthening
TMC president G K Vasan stated that the decision to leave the AIADMK-BJP alliance was aimed at reviving and strengthening the party, not at joining another political front. The move was formalized during the party's executive council meeting in Chennai, held months ahead of the upcoming local body elections.
Vasan emphasized, "I will not consider joining any other alliance for the next seven to eight months. Our party has been weakened by continuous alliances. We will first focus on strengthening our organization and enhancing our political relevance. Decisions on alliances can be discussed closer to the local body polls."
Open to Future Alliances
Despite the exit, Vasan kept future options open, stating that TMC is willing to engage with all political formations. "We are open to everyone – BJP, AIADMK, DMK, PMK, or even Annamalai's new party," he said.
He clarified that the exit was not due to any fallout with NDA partners. "I have no complaints against any alliance partner. The sole objective of leaving the NDA is to strengthen the TMC," Vasan added.
Impact of Alliances on Party Identity
Vasan noted that continuous participation in alliances had weakened the TMC's independent political identity. Since its formation, the party has been part of various fronts, including the People Welfare Front in 2016 and the NDA since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
"When we are in an alliance, there are limitations. We cannot always raise issues or launch protests independently. We need political space to take bold decisions and reconnect with the people," he explained.
Assembly Election Performance
The decision follows the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 assembly election. Contesting five seats as part of the NDA under the BJP's Lotus symbol, the party failed to win a single constituency. There was also internal discontent over the constituencies allotted by the AIADMK during seat-sharing negotiations.
