Tamil Nadu Politics Shake-Up: Vijay’s Rise Breaks DMK-AIADMK Alliance System | News9

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:00]Tamil Nadu's political landscape undergoes its biggest churn in decades.

[00:00:03]The 2026 verdict, and what a verdict it was, is exposing cracks that were hidden beneath the Dravidian alliance system for years on end, for decades. Take a look at this. Smaller allies worked for the DMK or the AIADMK, but power largely remained concentrated within these two major power blocks. Now, with actor turned politician and TVK chief C.

[00:00:27]Joseph Vijay leading the TVK to a stunning victory, that old arrangement appears to be collapsing quite quickly.

[00:00:35]The Congress, IUML, and VCK have all moved closer to the new Vijay government, with some even joining the cabinet. And a dramatic shift that has left both the DMK and the AIADMK, well, politically isolated, if you want to use that word. Congress leaders openly admit long-standing frustration over supporting alliances without ever really sharing power in the state of Tamil Nadu. And the situation has become even more complicated for the AIADMK, where internal divisions have deepened after reports of failed post-poll maneuvering to keep Vijay out of power. Rebel factions now find themselves sidelined, whilst Vijay has carefully projected his administration as a broad secular coalition. But what is emerging in Tamil Nadu is not just the rise of a new political force, but the weakening of an alliance culture that survived for nearly six long decades. The biggest shock for both the DMK and the AIADMK may not simply be electoral defeat, but how quickly their allies have moved on after this latest thumping mandate to the TVK. And to put this entire Dravidian discourse into context, the usual suspects, as I like to call them, Mr. Kalyanaraman, senior leader BJP Tamil Nadu. Many thanks for taking out the time, sir. C.

[00:01:55]Rajasekharan, political analyst with us on the broadcast and Venkatesh Ramaraj spokesperson for the Congress in Tamil Nadu with us on the broadcast as well.

[00:02:04]Mr. Mr. Kalyanaraman, you see let's get the snowball rolling here.

[00:02:08]To understand and you know it's important that I bring you into the picture because all the other parties have been named but the BJP. Now whether there is a takeaway for the BJP here or not, we'll come to that in just a second. But Mr. Raman, Congress leaders have openly admitted that they worked for others as victories for longest time without really sharing the power. Does this really validate the criticism that Dravidian parties, the two major party power blocks that we talked about, treated their allies and the smaller parties as just vote transfer machines rather than actual partners sitting across the table with respect and dignity?

[00:02:44]The situation of Congress is somebody who is a 40 years old still remaining unmarried and ready to marry twice thrice divorced girl. That is the situation of Congress who are so desperate for clinging on to power.

[00:02:59]Which is not the case with the BJP obviously because BJP has been managing the alliances so very well across the country not limited to just one state.

[00:03:09]Take the case of Goa. We are a majority but still we are holding on to MGP who are having a small number.

[00:03:18]Take the case of Uttar Pradesh where we are 255 seats winning party but still we are having four allies partners inside our inside our cabinet. You take the case of Bihar the same scenario. We have five different parties in alliance despite we having good numbers with us.

[00:03:38]So in similar case Tripura, Manipur, so on so forth. Maharashtra we have huge numbers 132 as against 144 again.

[00:03:47]Still we have We get the point, sir.

[00:03:50]So the the way you have to manage your alliances is involves a huge amount of wisdom and maturity.

[00:03:58]It never involves desperation.

[00:04:01]Unfortunately for Congress, it is desperation with the whatever the numbers that they will manage to get that is five numbers. They're clinging on to power no matter what is the ideology all about. Of course, there's no ideology for Congress. Secularism is not an ideology as such. It is a statement by the by the Constitution. So, if you remove the secular word from the Congress men mouth, there's nothing called ideology at their disposal. So, they can cling on to power with anybody and everybody. And of course, in Tamil Nadu, whoever has joined the TVK. But isn't the Congress party that is calling this alliance secular or is it the TVK that's calling this alliance secular?

[00:04:40]I think it's the TVK that's calling it this alliance secular. They've kept the AIADMK rebels to the side. And you know what? You know what? Mr. Kalyanam, I I I would just you know with I in my limited opinion, I think we're digressing from the operative point here, which is that have the AIADMK and DMK been politically isolated after this victory because for the longest time and I know I gave you a little bit of an arsenal there, the Congress party has worked for these big two Dravidian parties, but never really got a chance to sit in the cabinet or share that power really. It's happened after almost about like six decades, after 59 years to be precise. So, are we safe in our assessment that there is a churn, there is a quick departure from that old school style of Dravidian politics where the small parties including the Congress parties helped the Dravidian parties, but they never really got a chance to sit at the big table.

[00:05:31]Actually, I'm happy for Congress because for the first time after a long time, somebody who is a nationalist party >> That has brought a smile to Mr. Venkatesh's face. See.

[00:05:40]I have a different reason to say I'll I'll come I'll come to I'll come to Venkatesh. I'll come to you. I am I am happy to that extent that the Nationalist Party is inside the dispensation at this point of time. To that extent I'm happy. But the the participation is born out of a desperation of 40 years. Well, rather in this case it is 60 years old party which has never tasted power. So, desperation of a 60 years old man wanting to get married. That is the scenario for Congress. Very unfortunately, they have to go with the dictates of whoever offered them whatever the position. That is there. But going by Well, from among the five parties which are supporting uh the TVK, only two communists have got something called ideology, if at all any.

[00:06:26]Others don't have ideology. They are clinging onto the terminology called secularism. This is my contention.

[00:06:31]Beyond that, it is just opportunism. Let them enjoy power for some time until such time >> That's absolutely fine. Before I go on to Mr. Venkatesh, my final This can be a yes or no. Is this a double blow for the DMK and the AIADMK? That's the essential operative question here, sir. First.

[00:06:47]Well, whoever was in power, for them it is certainly a blow. Now, they as far as the AIADMK is concerned, they have split into two at this point of time. Things have to emerge.

[00:06:58]They are soft Hindutva, soft nationalist uh party. As far as we are concerned, that is why we we have had an alliance with them.

[00:07:09]So, we wish them good luck. We want them to come together. That is how we can look at it.

[00:07:14]We don't want to comment to be on this particular point at this stage about AIADMK. We are happy for the collapse of the >> That would be tricky. That would be like walking on eggshells at the moment because you see Tamil Nadu, when it comes to that actual emotional connect, the BJP hasn't been able to do that, which you gave us the examples and the long list. You've been able to do it so well across the length and breadth of the country. What happened in Tamil Nadu is a question that we'll again come to, but let me bring in Mr. Venkatesh here on this front. You know, Mr. Venkatesh, there is an analogy that you know, Mr. Raman is trying to bring out. Now, I know when it comes to opportunity they all play dirty and you know, a political party is going to do whatever it can.

[00:07:52]So, I'm not going to you know, subscribe to that that particular analogy. Politics is politics. It happens on the smallest of things.

[00:08:01]But, Mr. Raman is essentially saying that you're 60 years old and you're trying to go ahead and marry a 20-year-old.

[00:08:07]See, I just want to tell you we all fondly call No, no, let me Let me Let's be a little sane here. Let's be a little sane here. You have you have a very bad habit of interrupting. So, let me speak now.

[00:08:19]>> Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, Mr. >> So, we all we all fondly call BJP as a Katchi. Meaning with only one seat. What the seat? Okay, so there's no say for BJP here in Tamil Nadu. And I I saw Mr. Kalyanaraman quoting to many states and how they are sharing power with other other you know, parties, allied parties. We all know that BJP is one such party that has been that has never had its own leader. You go to any state, they they either have leaders from other parties like Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia or if you go to Bengal, Bengal, Subhendu Adhikari came from Trinamool Congress. You go to any other place whether it's Assam, Himanta Kumar Biswa. They don't have their own leaders. They are only known to poach leaders from other parties and form the government. That is one thing. And second thing very importantly, these people this BJP what what they're saying calling it as opportunism, every everyone the entire nation knows that BJP is capable of forming a government with just one seat because they were already running a proxy government in Tamil Nadu under the leadership of Edappadi Palaniswami and we all knew that there There a talk between ADMK and DMK to form a government which was openly confessed by Mr. M.K. Baby from CPM and also by the leader Mr. Thirumavalavan and Mr. Shanmugam.

[00:09:49]So, we we we were anticipating this because this has happened in many other states in India. So, that's why we were quick enough to ensure that the democratic will of people is is upheld and therefore we extended our support to TVK so that honorable Chief Minister Mr. Vijay could become Chief Minister form the government. That is what has happened here. And on the other hand, we all know that you know all the uh But Mr. Ramraj, Mr. Ramraj, you see you see I gave you enough time for your rejoinder to Mr. Kalyanaraman. You are you are also digressing. Now, I know that there is an habitual flex the BJP going at loggerheads with the Congress party. Let's talk about the AIADMK and of course your erstwhile alliance partner the DMK as well. You walked out that alliance and is it is that a double blow for the AIADMK and the DMK? People are now saying that those those two major Dravidian parties it's a major loss for them because Vijay has been able to give everybody a big share of that pie.

[00:10:45]Earlier, you used to stand around the table only look at that pie, never eat it. Now, with Vijay, he's been able to offer that to everybody.

[00:10:54]I I want to give you a reason. See, when UPA won in 2004 when the government was about to be formed, it was DMK that demanded for few ministries with the condition that they will support us and we had no choice than to you know give those ministries and form the government and that was the blunder that we did because of this 2G spectrum we had to lose the election. So, this happened, but we continue to stay in the alliances because the only grounds is secular. So, all the other left parties the junior parties parties continue to be in DMK because that is the only secular force in Tamil Nadu. So, we accepted them as a senior partner. But the DMK was not fair with any other parties, not willing to share power.

[00:11:36]Even before this election, they made a point very clear that no power power sharing for Tamil Nadu will not work, whereas the power sharing at center will work. But now, this time the people have proved that this state needs power sharing. It It needs a coalition government, and this would continue. And the between MK Stalin and Rahul Gandhi Let me just finish 20 seconds. Let me just finish 20 seconds. So, and also the honorable Chief Minister Vijay in one of his address, he clearly mentioned that I think what was it? He uh What I want to tell you something. I almost forgot it.

[00:12:10]>> for breaking your you know train of thought. Mr. You you see Mr. Ramraj, just before I bring in Mr. you know C.

[00:12:17]Rajasekharan, he's here to put that final garnish on our discussion here.

[00:12:22]Mr. Ramraj, you see when the Bharat Jodo Yatra began, I still remember the you know the unfurling of the flag, everything happened in Tamil Nadu. Um MK Stalin and Rahul Gandhi, those great big brothers. And now, I mean are we to say that because of what you just said, the DMK not being fair to the other allies, is that is this the end of the road for the Congress and the DMK now?

[00:12:43]Obviously yes, because see DMK had no other choice other than to be with Congress at the center because at the center we are the secular secular party, and at the at the state level they are the secular party. So, we were working together. So, marriage of convenience happened on the other side.

[00:13:00]It's the other way around. They needed the Congress party, not the not the other way around. That's what you're essentially saying. Mr. Ramraj, Definitely yes. See see in Tamil Nadu in Tamil Nadu DMK wouldn't have come to power without any allied parties. They were making use of the vote bank of all the junior partners, and they were continuously coming to power. This time it was clearly It is clearly >> at Lok Sabha Lok Sabha, the performance was phenomenal.

[00:13:23]Lok Sabha performance was phenomenal, wasn't it? Of course yes, it's because Rahul Gandhi was at the center. Okay. He he he pronounced out That's exactly what I'm saying. That's exactly what I'm saying. The DMK needed Rahul Gandhi.

[00:13:34]Rahul Gandhi did not need the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. That's the essential idea. Mr. Mr. Rajasekharan, you know, Mr. Kalyanaraman, Mr. you know, Ramaraj, they've all been talking about, of course, the secular ideology, who needs what, BJP versus Congress, that's been happening. But the operative portion is that of this entire discourse is that what we're witnessing today in 2026 and how politically isolated the two Dravidian parties look like. Is it simply a DMK defeat or is it the collapse of the decades-old political structure where allies never really truly were allowed to grow. And Vijay is changing that. He's letting the allies grow, come to the table, not just sit, but eat that pie as well.

[00:14:18]Uh good evening.

[00:14:20]Uh we are discussing about politics.

[00:14:23]Yeah. Not not family matters. Mhm. So, there is a old saying, great saying, there are no permanent enemies and there are no permanent friends in politics.

[00:14:34]Yeah. So, let us not digress by saying it is a holy alliance and unholy alliance and this happened, that happened. All these are Look at this, Mr. Ramaraj. Already already Mr. Rajasekharan has already extended the olive branch. So, he's keeping his doors open. It might happen in the future, it might not, you never know.

[00:14:55]See, I'll tell you, it is pure survival of the fittest. Okay.

[00:14:59]>> Whoever wants to survive in politics, obviously they will take a stand which is benefited for themselves. So, Congress party has done the right thing as per as per my opinion. Okay.

[00:15:11]>> I may sound cynical to many, but fact of the matter is Opportunity is an opportunity.

[00:15:16]You have to be No. Any political party is not running a free choultry. We are not in Tirumala Tirupati to give free service to the pilgrimage.

[00:15:27]It is the politics. Politics is a game of thrones. You need power. You need position. You need MLAs. You need MPs.

[00:15:36]You need local body authorities, mayors, etc. etc. etc. So, obviously, any political party for that matter will try to exploit the maximum opportunity >> given us such a pragmatic answer, Mr. Rajasekaran, is this a double blow? I've been asking this to all the panelists.

[00:15:54]Is this a double blow for the AIADMK and the DMK? Have they been politically isolated? Have they been isolated? I'll tell you. I'll tell you. I'll tell you.

[00:16:01]When Congress lost the elections, BJP was going hammer and tong that Congress mukt. Nobody can do mukt of any political party. It is purely the people's wisdom. Now, the 2029, nobody can stop Rahul Gandhi become the prime minister.

[00:16:17]That is only it's happening. That is the growth of Congress through Janata Party.

[00:16:21]The cockroach Janata Party is going to is going to decide Rahul Gandhi to be the prime minister by default because they have had enough is enough. They have seen Modi, Amit Shah, all these governments doing nothing >> think we're now we're jumping the gun here. Cockroach Janata Party, 20 million followers on Instagram, and suddenly Rahul Gandhi is going to become the prime minister. This is This is amazing.

[00:16:44]See, No, no, no, I'm telling you this is the agency mindset. This is the agency mindset.

[00:16:50]Instagram account was blocked within hours when it reached about eight eight billion viewers, I guess.

[00:16:57]Okay. No, no, no, no, no, no, let me let me let me see.

[00:17:00]The future The future is in the hands of the youth of this country. The future is going to be >> I thought you were going to say the cockroaches. For a second I thought you were going to say the cockroaches.

[00:17:10]Cockroaches, it was on the lighter way I said.

[00:17:12]But fact The fact remains, see, people are fed up with this old going to hit the party. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I'll tell you No, I'll tell you let me finish. The people are fed up with this old old stereotype commitments and cheating the people again and again and again winning elections after elections and saying the same old story and they are fed up. Now they want they want practical things to happen in their front of their eyes. But Mr. Rajasekharan, you only just said nothing is practical in politics. Nothing is practical. People are opportunists.

[00:17:48]Okay. Okay. Please. I I I need I need to bring in Mr. Kalyanaraman as well. Let me bring in Mr. Kalyanaraman.

[00:17:54]Before I do that, Mr. Rajasekharan, yes or no? Is this a political isolation for the Dravidian parties, yes or no?

[00:18:01]>> Maybe maybe it's temporary. Maybe it's temporary.

[00:18:04]>> yes, it is. Maybe it's temporary. Yes, it is. Maybe it's temporary. Finally got an answer. I had to go around a lot and look even before I got an answer for the operative part, the cockroach Janata Party has featured into this debate.

[00:18:15]Anyway, Mr. Kalyanaraman, you know, coming back to that long list that you were talking about about how the alliance equation and that calculation is always spot on when it when we're looking at the saffron party. What happened in the state of Tamil Nadu? Mr. Ramaraj says that you know, you're just a one seat party. But then I think Mr. Ramaraj also kind of sort of contradicted That's what I thought because you see you said even with one even with one seat they were able to they were able to govern through Edappadi Palaniswami.

[00:18:44]Mr. Rajasekharan, I'll come to you. I'll come to you. Wait. Hold on.

[00:18:48]If you go for recounting, they will lose it. Oh, they have lost the power in at least 320 seats across the country in six major states where they have less than 15% vote share. In most of them less than 5% vote share. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, they have less than 5% vote share. So, Congress talking about coming back to power or Rajasekharan saying that they are going to coming to power is a most laughable thing in the whole country. Coming to the question of the alliance or maintaining of alliance, let us look at it very very realistically and in a in a very wise manner.

[00:19:27]The regional parties represent regional aspirations, sometimes community aspirations, sometimes a segmentation aspirations.

[00:19:35]Even though the Modi-like personality is a fatherly figure, they may not be pushed into relate himself uh themselves with a person like Modi, which is why we need regional parties.

[00:19:46]Look at the case of Apna Dal which has just got about a let us say six seats in Tamil Nadu. They have a in the matter of Uttar Pradesh, they have a cabinet minister. The BJP has gained enormously well in uh Maharashtra with 132 to seats, whereas what we require is only 40 144.

[00:20:06]Whereas the uh Shiv Sena has got 11 the NCP has got nine uh ministers despite the fact that we have numbers at our place.

[00:20:17]>> But Mr. Mr. Mr. Kalyanaraman, don't you think don't you think when people are asking this question, they have the argument is little credible that when you know it all, when you've been doing it so well across the rubric of the national print, why not in Tamil Nadu? I mean, Vijay was desperately looking for people who did not have the numbers.

[00:20:34]Then why couldn't BJP turn convert this into a goal?

[00:20:38]It's a very good question. In Tamil Nadu, we have never come anywhere closer to power so far. For very many years, we are talking about several decades ever since 1980 till today for the last 45 46 years, we have never come to power. So, we are not entitled to or we don't have the responsibility to answer to this particular question. Okay.

[00:21:00]I appreciate the I appreciate the honesty. I do appreciate the honesty.

[00:21:03]Whereas whereas those who were part of the government rather they were in alliance with the government but yet not ready to take power, not in a position to take power like 2000 6 to 11 where the DMK was a minority.

[00:21:20]The Congress was behaving like slaves in Tamil Nadu. They supported the minority government then not being ready to push for power share.

[00:21:30]Of course they meekly surrendered to with their five seats.

[00:21:34]Remember Venkatesh saying that they offered jump run offered power. Anyway, with your five seats 207 plus five does not make 217. You were nobody in the >> you're you're right. You're right. Mr. Kalyanaraman, Mr. Kalyanaraman, my my apologies. I'm completely running out of time here. I do need to I do need to I do need to go across the board here. Mr. Ramraj, Mr. Ramraj You know Mr. Ramraj, 30 seconds, 30 seconds. My idea in understanding is that ideology ideology ideology in Tamil Nadu. Okay, sir. Never mind the numbers. Never mind the numbers. It doesn't matter.

[00:22:11]Mr. Ramraj, ideology in Tamil Nadu has now become secondary to political survival. This is the operative, you know, end line. It's not it's not just about survival. I want to answer to Mr. Kalyanaraman. Any any party will lose the deposit if the ruling party is going to engage the agencies all the agencies independent agencies like Supreme Court, Enforcement Director, uh defection, >> [snorts] >> delimitation, SIR, Election Commission.

[00:22:38]And obviously obviously it is normal.

[00:22:40]And you need to understand that the state like Tamil Nadu and Kerala has has educated literate people. Even after doing all this nonsense, they were not able to even get more than one seat.

[00:22:51]That one seat is just a I would say it's a luck. Otherwise, they wouldn't have won this seat also. So, Mr. Kalyanaraman doesn't deserve to criticize or Uh, anything about Congress. We'll we'll wrap this here.

[00:23:02]We'll wrap this here. You know what? I always enjoy talking to all of y'all.

[00:23:06]Mr. Rajasekharan, you should have come a little bit early so that we could have, you know, had more conversation here.

[00:23:10]>> Um, I've completely run out of time here. The PCR really wants to get into a break. But like I said, and don't mind me, this is why I say, you know, the usual suspects coming back to News 9 on when it comes to the Dravidian discourse.

[00:23:21]>> apology, Rajasekharan.

[00:23:22]>> Uh, Mr. Mr. Kalyanaraman, many thanks for taking out the time. Mr. [laughter] Rajasekharan, always a pleasure to have you with us. Venkatesh Ramaraj, spokesperson for the Congress party over here as well.

[00:23:31]Perhaps the biggest story in Tamil Nadu is not just that, you know, TVK chief Vijay won, but that the old Dravidian order suddenly looks vulnerable and negotiable. And Mr. Rajasekharan said that right now, at this point in time, it does look like a temporary blow for the AIADMK and the DMK.