Congress Allegedly Left DMK Over Feared AIADMK Alliance, Says Tagore

In a significant development following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Congress MP Manickam Tagore claimed that the Indian National Congress (INC) withdrew from its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) due to an apprehension that the DMK intended to join forces with its traditional rival, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), purely for the sake of power. This assertion by Tagore, a prominent Congress leader from Virudhunagar, was made in a social media post and echoed in statements to the media, where he accused the 'two Dravidian parties who are life-time enemies' of potentially coming together 'over night' to protect their power. Tagore further escalated his criticism by branding the AIADMK as the 'B' Team of the RSS/BJP, arguing that DMK could not maintain its secular credentials by aligning with such a party. He suggested that such an alliance between DMK and AIADMK would be 'disastrous for Tamil Nadu' and would happen with the 'blessings of Mr Narendra Modi'. However, concurrent reports and other statements from Congress leaders, including Tagore himself, paint a more nuanced picture of the alliance's dissolution. Multiple credible sources indicate that the Congress broke its over two-decade-old alliance with the DMK primarily to extend support to actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay's newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for forming the government in Tamil Nadu. The TVK emerged as the single largest party in the 2026 Assembly elections, securing 108 seats out of 234, but fell short of the simple majority of 118. This created a fractured mandate and an opportunity for political realignments. Congress leadership, including its AICC in-charge Girish Chodankar, explicitly stated their commitment to forming a secular and progressive government in Tamil Nadu with TVK, emphasizing the goal to keep 'communal forces' (referring to BJP) out of power. Manickam Tagore himself, in other statements, justified the Congress's move by questioning whether the party should align with those 'rejected by the people's verdict' (a clear reference to the DMK's electoral setback, where half of its cabinet ministers reportedly lost their seats) or unite with forces that actively fought against the BJP. He highlighted that the Congress had faced 'collateral damage for no fault of ours' while being allied with the DMK, winning only five out of 28 contested seats. The DMK, in response to Congress's decision to consider supporting TVK, sharply criticized its former ally, labeling them as 'backstabbers'. DMK leaders reportedly reminded Congress that the five seats they won were largely due to DMK's support and recalled how DMK President M.K. Stalin had previously endorsed Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate. Historically, the DMK and AIADMK have been fierce political adversaries since the AIADMK's formation in 1972 by M.G. Ramachandran after breaking away from the DMK. Their rivalry has shaped Tamil Nadu's political landscape for decades, with power often oscillating between the two Dravidian majors. While both parties have, at different times, allied with national parties like the Congress or BJP, a direct alliance between DMK and AIADMK is largely unprecedented and would signify a monumental shift in state politics. The Congress itself has a history of aligning with both DMK and AIADMK over the years, adapting its strategy based on electoral exigencies. For instance, a DMK-Congress alliance lasted nine years across two UPA regimes before a break in 2013. The emergence of TVK as a significant third force, disrupting the traditional bipolar nature of Tamil Nadu politics, has necessitated new political calculations. The AIADMK has also reportedly expressed interest in aligning with TVK, further complicating the post-election scenario. The Communist Parties (CPI and CPI(M)) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) were also holding meetings to decide their support for government formation, with the Left parties reportedly unlikely to support an AIADMK government. In conclusion, while Manickam Tagore's claim about DMK's intent to ally with AIADMK is a direct and strong political accusation made by a Congress leader, it primarily serves as a justification for Congress's strategic pivot. The broader narrative from multiple news sources indicates that Congress's decision to leave the DMK alliance was driven by post-election political calculations, including DMK's electoral performance, anti-incumbency factors, and a desire to align with the victorious TVK to form a stable, secular government and counter the BJP's influence in Tamil Nadu. The specific 'intent' of DMK to team up with AIADMK, as claimed by Tagore, lacks independent corroboration as the sole or primary reason for Congress's actions and is seen more as political rhetoric amidst intense post-election maneuvering.

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