'INDIA bloc is gone': DMK explodes after Congress backs Vijay's TVK

The DMK on Thursday declared that the INDIA bloc was effectively over after the Congress snapped ties with the MK Stalin-led party in Tamil Nadu and backed actor-politician Vijay's TVK in its bid to form the government.

This comes a day after the Congress announced support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), dramatically reshaping post-poll equations in the state after a fractured mandate in the Assembly elections.

"INDIA bloc is gone," senior DMK leader TKS Elangovan told India Today on Thursday. "We will reframe the alliance."

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Congress-TVK tie-up jolts DMK

The Congress, a long-time ally of the DMK, on Wednesday announced that it would support Vijay's TVK in forming the government and would also be part of the new administration.

The TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, winning 108 seats in the 234-member House. The Congress won five seats.

The move left the DMK visibly rattled, with the party using unusually strong language against its former ally during its legislature party meeting chaired by Stalin at Anna Arivalayam.

This evening, the DMK passed multiple resolutions, including one sharply criticising the Congress for walking away from the "secular progressive alliance".

The resolution accused the Congress of failing to change its "old political character" and said the party had benefited electorally from the DMK-led alliance before shifting sides immediately after the polls.

"The Congress had secured one Rajya Sabha seat and 28 Assembly constituencies as part of the DMK-led alliance," the resolution stated, accusing the party of jeopardising "the victory achieved through the hard work of alliance cadres".

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DMK authorises Stalin to take 'political decisions'

Another resolution passed by the DMK legislature party authorised Stalin to take "immediate and necessary political decisions" amid the unfolding political uncertainty in the state.

Earlier, reports emerged that there were back-channel talks for an alliance between DMK and AIADMK to prevent Vijay from forming the government. 

The resolution stated that Tamil Nadu was "not prepared for another election" and stressed the need for a stable government. It also said that "forces opposed to the principles of the Dravidian movement should not be allowed to gain space".

Asked whether the Left parties and VCK would continue in the DMK-led alliance, Elangovan said the parties were free to decide their political future. "The CPI, CPI(M), and VCK said they will consider their decisions with their respective leaderships. Whatever decision they take, we will support them. We will not force them to do anything," he said.

INDIA bloc faces fresh strain

The INDIA bloc was formed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a national opposition alliance to counter the NDA. The DMK's public declaration that the alliance is gone marks one of the strongest signs yet of strain within the opposition grouping after the dramatic Tamil Nadu realignment triggered by Congress's decision to back TVK.