CHENNAI: The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), led by Vaiko, has decided to snap ties with the MK Stalin-led DMK, ending an alliance of nine years. The decision was taken at the party's high-level committee meeting on Saturday.
The resolution adopted at the meeting also stated that the decision about future electoral alliances will be taken at the time of elections.
During the past month, Vaiko had dropped multiple hints that his party would walk out of the alliance.
MDMK candidates who contested and won the Assembly election as part of the alliance have, however, refused to resign and stressed that they would stay with DMK.
One of the MLAs, Senthil Selvam from Sirkazhi, boycotted the party meeting and announced his resignation from MDMK and stated that he would join the DMK.
MDMK MLA and the party’s deputy general secretary TM Rajendran, has also reportedly expressed his unwillingness to give up the seat.
Four MDMK candidates had contested the Assembly elections as part of the DMK alliance, with two winning the polls.
The MDMK resolution adopted on Saturday said the party had joined the DMK-led alliance on ideological grounds to prevent communal forces from gaining ground in Tamil Nadu and to uphold the core principles of the Dravidian movement. It is alleged that, during the 2026 Assembly election, attempts were made within the alliance to erode the MDMK's distinct identity and overlook its 32-year political legacy.
Referring to the discussions to bring the AIADMK to power with the DMK’s support following the assembly election results, MDMK resolution also criticised the post-election political negotiations, which had betrayed the people's mandate and rendered the alliance's professed ideological commitment meaningless.
The MDMK's exit comes as a major setback for the DMK-led alliance, which witnessed several of its constituents walk out after the recently concluded Assembly elections to support the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government.
The Congress, IUML and the VCK had left the alliance and joined the TVK-led government while the Left parties -- CPI(M) and CPI -- decided to extend support from outside.
Meanwhile, the DMDK, the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi, the SDPI, the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, the Mukkulathor Pulipadai (MPP) and the Tamizhar Desiya Katchi (TDK) has chosen to remain with the DMK.
The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) supported the DMK alliance but did not contest the elections.
