Congress extends conditional support to Vijay’s TVK to form govt in TN

The Indian National Congress (INC) on Wednesday formally extended support to actor-politician C. Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form the next government in Tamil Nadu, while making it clear that the backing hinges on keeping “communal forces” out of the alliance.

In a statement, the party’s Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar said Vijay had sought Congress support after TVK emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections. The Congress described the verdict as a mandate for a “secular, progressive and welfare-oriented government” anchored in constitutional values.

“The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislature Party have decided to extend full support to the TVK to form the government,” the statement said, adding that voters — particularly the youth — had chosen Vijay to lead the state.

However, the party underlined a clear caveat. Its support, it said, would depend on ensuring that “communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India” are kept out — an apparent reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies.

The development is significant as TVK, contesting its first Assembly election, secured 108 seats in the 234-member House — just 10 short of the majority mark. The Congress, which won five seats as part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, could prove crucial in helping Vijay stake claim to power.

Positioning the tie-up as more than a post-poll arrangement, the Congress said the partnership carries a “historic responsibility” and is expected to extend to future electoral contests, including local body, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections.

The statement also invoked the legacy of former chief minister K. Kamaraj and reaffirmed commitment to the ideals of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and B. R. Ambedkar, framing the alliance as rooted in social justice and constitutional principles.

It added that Vijay and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are aligned on respecting the people’s mandate and working to fulfil the aspirations of Tamil Nadu, especially its youth.

With IANS inputs