CHENNAI: Putting an end to weeks of political speculation, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) on Thursday formally joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) after being assured of one Rajya Sabha seat and six Assembly seats.
The development comes a day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats, including six from Tamil Nadu, will be held on March 16. Of the six outgoing members from the state, four belong to the DMK — Tiruchi Siva, N R Elango, Andhiyur Siva, and Dr Kanimozhi N V N Somu.
Sources in the DMK said the party had already committed one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress and has now offered one to the DMDK.
“The six constituencies to be allotted to the DMDK will be finalised by a committee to be formed by the DMK leadership. The alliance was sealed only after the number of seats was confirmed and accepted by both the sides,” a senior DMK leader told TNIE.
DMDK-DMK alliance is ‘bond of goodwill’: CM
On Thursday morning, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth and party treasurer L K Sudish met CM and DMK president M K Stalin at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, in Chennai, formally joining the alliance. Senior leaders from both parties, including Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, were present.
Founded by actor-politician Vijayakanth in 2005, the DMDK has never previously aligned with the DMK and had, at various times, partnered with rival alliances. This marks the first time the party has joined hands with the DMK. Welcoming the DMDK, Stalin said the “bond of goodwill would continue to contribute to the progress and prosperity of Tamil Nadu”.
“It brings me immense joy that the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), founded by ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth — a man who held unwavering affection for Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar and was my dear friend — has today joined the Secular Progressive Alliance,” Stalin said in a post on X.
Speaking to reporters, Premalatha Vijayakanth said the decision to join the DMK-led alliance was taken in accordance with the wishes of party cadres. Recalling alliance talks in 2016, she said the tie-up had materialised after a decade-long delay. “It should have happened when Captain Vijayakanth was alive. It is happening after a delay of 10 years, and we will work to ensure the alliance wins more than 200 seats,” she said.
The DMDK contested the 2006 and 2009 elections independently before aligning with the AIADMK in 2011. In 2014, it joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. It later became part of the People’s Welfare Alliance in 2016. The party returned to the AIADMK fold in 2019 and 2024, while in 2021 it contested in alliance with the AMMK.
(With inputs from S Kumaresan @ Chennai)