After the Congress extended support to actor-turned-politician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in a bid to form the government in Tamil Nadu, political dynamics in the state have taken a new turn with the entry of the AIADMK, a key ally of the BJP-led NDA.
TVK now has 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, only 10 short of the 118-mark required to secure a simple majority. On the one hand, with Congress and Left parties being considered as potential allies, TVK is actively exploring the possibility of a coalition, and, on the other hand, is strongly dissociating itself with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been previously referred to by Vijay as an ideological enemy.
As speculation increased over the possibility of any of the above realignments, AIADMK leader C.V. Shanmugam, told reporters in Chennai that the party leadership would decide on any alliance. His comments occurred when AIADMK MLAs were reportedly holding meetings in his home that fueled speculation of internal consultations with TVK leadership.
Sources reveal that there is an open segment within AIADMK which can be supportive to TVK, but there seems to be some differences with regard to the leadership of Edappadi K. Palaniswami. There have also been reports of dissatisfaction among some of the MLAs, further fueling the speculation about changing political equations.
This was however refuted by the AIADMK spokesperson, Kovai Sathyan who dismissed any internal division and division within the party. He admitted there was a momentum between AIADMK and TVK but he clarified that there was no final decision made. He stressed that the high command of the party will finally make the decision on any alliance.
With the negotiation process and political signals continuing to develop, the new balance between regional and national parties may become an important factor in reshaping the electoral landscape in Tamil Nadu.