CHENNAI: When TVK president Vijay took the stage at his first party conference in Vikravandi in 2024 and declared that he would share power with allies, it was easily dismissed as a tactic of a first-time politician to pull in alliance partners. But in the months that followed, that single statement had cast a long shadow over every alliance negotiation within the two Dravidian parties – the DMK and the AIADMK.
Now that the TVK has won and emerged as the single-largest party but fallen short of a majority, the coalition question is no longer hypothetical. The Congress, which had walked away from the DMK-led alliance after the election results emboldened by Vijay’s promise, has returned as the TVK’s post-poll partner. Now, with the TVK regime led by CM Vijay sharing power with the Congress, it will be the first time for Tamil Nadu since 1952.
Arunkumar, political analyst and assistant professor at a private university, said the first coalition government was also formed because of a lack of majority in the Assembly.
“In 1952, no single party got a majority in TN (then Madras State). The Congress was the single-largest party followed by the communists. And it was in this context that C Rajagopalachari formed a coalition government with the support of Manickavel Naicker, the founder of the Wheel Party, which later merged with the Congress.
That was Tamil Nadu’s first and last coalition government – until now,” Arunkumar told TNIE. After 1952, the pattern was clear. The Congress till 1967, and the DMK and the AIADMK until now had remained the single-largest party even within alliances. Pointing to the voting pattern of Tamil people, Arunkumar said the voters have always given a clear mandate, and 2026 is an exception in the state’s political history.
Sunil Kumar, assistant professor of political science department at Hindustan University, said if the TVK government commits mistakes – on state autonomy, language rights, federal issues – these parties have the standing to point it out and course-correct from within.
The one-man power that CM Vijay spoke of at the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday will be diluted, and he will be forced to consult the parties backing his government.
And beyond the coalition, the principal Opposition in the Assembly will be the DMK, which will not allow any major policy decision to stray from Tamil Nadu’s political tradition,” Sunil Kumar said.
THE MANY FIRSTS
First Christian CM of Tamil Nadu
First actor-led party to win a debut TN Assembly polls since MGR
First CM to contest and win from two constituencies
Left backing non-DMK/AIADMK govt for first time
First non-DMK/AIADMK government since 1967