DMK faces a challenge as allies set to join TVK government

With most of its pre-poll allies now backing the TVK government, the DMK, which has headed the Secular Progressive Alliance since 2017, is now almost friendless in politics. The Dravidian party is now, for company, left with just the MDMK and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, whose nominees contested on its Rising Sun symbol. Besides, its new ally, the DMDK, has not switched loyalties.

While the Congress abandoned the DMK soon after the Assembly polls and joined Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s Cabinet on Thursday (May 21, 2026), the IUML and the VCK are set to join the Ministry on Friday, signalling the end of their relations with the DMK.

However, the CPI and the CPI(M), which have extended outside support to the government, are likely to have some kind of working relationship with the DMK in Parliament on issues such as the rights of States and secularism.

“We have already said we will extend issue-based support to the DMK,” said P. Shanmugam, State secretary of the CPI(M).

CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian justified the outside support to the TVK, the single-largest party, saying it was aimed at preventing President’s Rule. “We should respect the people’s verdict. Our support will continue for five years. It is our expectation that the government will continue the schemes that have become a model for the country,” he said.

The Communists were left with little choice when a proposal to form a government led by the AIADMK with the DMK’s support emerged.

It was this proposal that altered the course of the State’s politics, as the Communists are opposed to the BJP, in whose company the AIADMK fought the elections.

The Left’s stand is not to join any government unless it is in a position to influence its policies.

Mr. Vijay is learnt to have invited VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan to join the Cabinet, offering portfolios of his choice and the third rank in the Cabinet, so that he could “guide the government”. Mr. Thirumavalavan was initially inclined to accept the offer, but subsequently favoured the induction of Mr. Vanni Arasu.

The DMK, once seen as a champion of minorities, and long-dependent on their support, now faces a different political situation with its allies shifting base.

According to the DMK’s internal assessment, Christians overwhelmingly voted for the TVK, while Scheduled Caste voters, too, gravitated towards the new party. DMK leaders believe these two factors contributed to the defeat of party president M.K. Stalin in the Kolathur constituency.

However, being out of power and facing a political crisis — as it did during the Emergency — is nothing new for the DMK. The party, however, needs to reconnect with Gen Z, which largely depends on social media and the internet for information. It should also reflect on how Mr. Vijay, whose charisma was built through cinema, could prevail over long-standing ideological moorings.