CHENNAI: With government formation in Tamil Nadu still hanging in balance after the fractured 2026 assembly verdict, major political parties on Friday continued hectic parleys over possible alliances, even as leaders publicly denied tie-ups and urged caution over speculation.Senior leaders of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) dismissed talk of any alliance with rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), underlining the deep political rivalry between the two Dravidian parties.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said an alliance with AIADMK was “not possible”.“The DMK and AIADMK are major rivals in Tamil Nadu politics. Some people may come in between, but they will go. So, I don’t think it is possible,” he told reporters in Chennai.Another senior DMK leader and deputy general secretary echoed the sentiment, saying the party would not respond to “rumours”.The comments came amid intense political manoeuvring after actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, but fell short of the 118-seat majority mark needed to form the government.The AIADMK secured 47 seats, while the DMK won 57.TVK has already tied up with the Indian National Congress, taking its tally to 113 — still five short of a majority.Amid the uncertainty, AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP M. Thambidurai indicated that discussions were under way, while stopping short of confirming any alliance plans.“So many discussions are going on. I cannot say anything now. We hope good things will happen,” he said.“There is a public sentiment that AIADMK has to come to power. That may happen in due course of time with the grace of God,” he added.Attention has now shifted to smaller parties whose support could prove decisive.Thol Thirumavalavan, leader of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), said DMK president and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had told him during a meeting on Thursday that he “would not be an obstacle” to the formation of a TVK-led government.However, Thirumavalavan said the VCK would take a final decision on TVK’s proposal only after a high-level committee meeting later on Friday. He added that the party’s stand would also depend on the position taken by Left parties.Both the VCK and the Communist Party of India (CPI) won two seats each in the election.TVK leaders continued outreach efforts on Thursday, with the party’s joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar meeting CPI leaders in Chennai to seek support for government formation.Nirmal Kumar later said both the CPI and VCK would hold internal consultations before announcing their decisions.Meanwhile, the executive committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) began in Chennai on Friday morning.Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan’s successor and current Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi Arlekar had on Thursday invited Vijay for discussions at Raj Bhavan, but did not call upon him to form the government.According to sources, the Governor sought clarity on whether TVK had secured the support required to prove majority in the assembly.The Governor reportedly asked Vijay to furnish details of legislators backing TVK’s claim.The decision not to invite TVK to form the government triggered sharp reactions from the party, with leaders accusing the Governor of delaying the process.With no party securing a clear mandate, Tamil Nadu now faces a period of intense coalition negotiations, with regional and Left parties likely to play a key role in determining who eventually forms the next government.
