Rahul Gandhi, MK Stalin CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Congress snapped on Wednesday its 11-year alliance with the DMK and threw its weight behind TVK, deepening fissures in INDIA bloc after DMK’s rout in Tamil Nadu. AICC in-charge Girish Chodankar met TVK chief C Joseph Vijay and pledged support of Congress’s five MLAs. “Congress-TVK alliance will continue for local body polls and 2029 Lok Sabha elections,” Chodankar said. The switch redraws the state’s political map and blunts INDIA bloc’s pitch of a united front against BJP. Congress framed its support as a move to “keep away communal forces”. “Is INDIA bloc still alive?” a senior Congress neta asked, citing frictions with regional partners. “We are still uncertain about numbers to form govt in Tamil Nadu. We will focus on INDIA bloc after this,” said Su Thirunavukkarasar. DMK netas hit back, branding the move “backstabbing”.Also Read | ‘Backstabbers’: INDIA bloc cracks out in open; DMK attacks ally Congress over support to TVK’s Vijay in Tamil Nadu AICC spokesman Pawan Khera rejected the charge as unfair, recalling DMK’s 2013 break with Congress. “Two parties fight together to stop the rot. If we can form a govt with likeminded parties, what is wrong with it,” he said, defending the realignment with TVK, formed in 2024. The fallout comes as two key bloc partners — DMK and Trinamool Congress — have lost recent assembly elections, amplifying perceptions of a shaky coalition. Political observers warned the rupture dents bloc cohesion. “Congress has been adopting a high-handed attitude with allies… This trend would weaken the united opposition to BJP in 2029,” said commentator Suguna Diwakar. The shift could also make regional partners wary of Congress prioritising its own electoral calculus over alliance arithmetic. Congress netas said the gamble could pay if TVK is folded into the INDIA framework. The day’s tightrope was evident when Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi reached out to both DMK chief M K Stalin and Vijay after the results, as Congress sought to manage state-level realignments without capsizing the broader anti-BJP platform. DMK’s long, uneven partnership with Congress — forged, broken and revived multiple times — now faces its sharpest rupture in years, though signals suggested it may still remain within the INDIA tent nationallyEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Congress Will Be Wiped Out Everywhere’: DMK Warns Cong Over Support To Vijay’s TVK2 Dead, 200+ FIRs, 433 Arrested, Over 1100 Detained In Post-Poll Violence In West Bengal‘Asked Me To Pay Rs 5 Crore’: Ex-Cricketer Makes Shocking Claim On TMC After Bengal PollsPakistan Navy Helps Stranded Indian Ship In Arabian Sea After Distress Call: ReportTVK Emerges Largest, But Vijay Needs Critical Backing To Form Govt; Will He Succeed?Election Commission Blocks 68 Lakh Cyber Attacks; ECINET Handles Record Traffic on Counting Day‘Directly Promoting ISI Narrative’: BJP Slams Bhagwant Mann’s Remark On Punjab BlastsIndia–Vietnam Upgrade Ties | $25 Billion Trade Push, UPI Link & Big Strategic Signal to China‘Shortage Of Funds’: Akhilesh Yadav Reveals Why SP Ended Contract With I-PAC Ahead Of UP PollsTeesta Issue Explained: Can Bengal Result Unlock Deal As China Factor Raises Stakes123PhotostoriesHow to make Oats, Besan, and Chaach Chilla for a light summer breakfastAre you storing fruits all wrong? Why your fridge may be ruining their taste, nutrition, and shelf life10 subtle body language cues that reveal your true feelingsKL Rahul’s Bangalore home is a crores-worth luxury retreat built on cricket success and strong family rootsVisa hacks 2026: What smart Indian travellers are doing differently this yearComfort foods that are the quiet healers of your body (health benefits inside)From human-sized birds to pebble ‘proposals’: 6 facts that will change how you see penguinsEating the same food every day? Nutritionist explains what it secretly does to your gut bacteria over time10 funny marriage quotes by famous people that every couple will relate to7 small lifestyle upgrades under ₹1000 that make life easier123Hot PicksGSEB 10th Result 2026Delhi traffic advisoryDelhi rainPune child rape-murder casePerambur election resultIndia-New Zealand FTASugarcane price hikeTop TrendingNFL Trade RumorsIPL 2026 Orange CapCBSE Class 10 admit card 2026IPL Playoff Qualification ScenariosIPL 2026 Points TableMI IPL Playoff Qualification ScenariosJalandhar BlastNEET 2026: Exam-day guideGSEB Class 10th result 2026TVK Chief Vijay
CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Congress snapped on Wednesday its 11-year alliance with the DMK and threw its weight behind TVK, deepening fissures in INDIA bloc after DMK’s rout in Tamil Nadu. AICC in-charge Girish Chodankar met TVK chief C Joseph Vijay and pledged support of Congress’s five MLAs. “Congress-TVK alliance will continue for local body polls and 2029 Lok Sabha elections,” Chodankar said. The switch redraws the state’s political map and blunts INDIA bloc’s pitch of a united front against BJP. Congress framed its support as a move to “keep away communal forces”. “Is INDIA bloc still alive?” a senior Congress neta asked, citing frictions with regional partners. “We are still uncertain about numbers to form govt in Tamil Nadu. We will focus on INDIA bloc after this,” said Su Thirunavukkarasar. DMK netas hit back, branding the move “backstabbing”.Also Read | ‘Backstabbers’: INDIA bloc cracks out in open; DMK attacks ally Congress over support to TVK’s Vijay in Tamil Nadu AICC spokesman Pawan Khera rejected the charge as unfair, recalling DMK’s 2013 break with Congress. “Two parties fight together to stop the rot. If we can form a govt with likeminded parties, what is wrong with it,” he said, defending the realignment with TVK, formed in 2024. The fallout comes as two key bloc partners — DMK and Trinamool Congress — have lost recent assembly elections, amplifying perceptions of a shaky coalition. Political observers warned the rupture dents bloc cohesion. “Congress has been adopting a high-handed attitude with allies… This trend would weaken the united opposition to BJP in 2029,” said commentator Suguna Diwakar. The shift could also make regional partners wary of Congress prioritising its own electoral calculus over alliance arithmetic. Congress netas said the gamble could pay if TVK is folded into the INDIA framework. The day’s tightrope was evident when Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi reached out to both DMK chief M K Stalin and Vijay after the results, as Congress sought to manage state-level realignments without capsizing the broader anti-BJP platform. DMK’s long, uneven partnership with Congress — forged, broken and revived multiple times — now faces its sharpest rupture in years, though signals suggested it may still remain within the INDIA tent nationally
