TIRUCHY: With the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) gaining noticeable traction among under-30 voters and first-time electors, particularly among the minority communities, DMK allies and Muslim outfits are stepping up their outreach to prevent a split in votes.
Sources said parties such as the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), and the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK) – all part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance – have begun informal, ground-level engagement through local community networks.
Their focus is to sensitise young voters to the broader political implications of supporting the TVK, arguing that a fragmented minority vote could indirectly benefit the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Notably, no major Muslim political party is part of the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
MMK president M H Jawahirullah said the outreach is not limited to countering the TVK but also to highlight the DMK government’s policy positions and welfare measures. “We are engaging with minority youth by pointing out how the DMK has opposed the centre on issues like the Uniform Civil Code and the Waqf bill.
At the same time, we are highlighting schemes such as the chief minister’s breakfast programme, free bus travel for women, and laptop distribution,” he said. Jawahirullah added that certain remarks by TVK leaders, including references to fascism, raise concerns about how the party would approach minority issues.
IUML Tiruchy South district president KMK Habibur Rahman said the TVK’s growing appeal among youth, driven largely by Vijay’s popularity, has prompted increased engagement at the grassroots.
“We are reaching out through jamaats, deploying cadre to create awareness of the situation,” he said. Rahman stressed that the approach remains cautious. “We cannot force the youth, as it may backfire. Instead, we are trying to make them understand the larger political context and the possible outcomes of a split in votes,” he added.
MJK president Thamimun Ansari said, “We are explaining how a split vote could indirectly strengthen the AIADMK-BJP alliance. At the same time, we believe young voters will think before voting,” he said.
Religious leaders, meanwhile, have maintained a neutral stance. Tiruchy Town Kazi Jalil Sultan said religious institutions do not influence voting decisions but play a role in awareness. “We do not tell people whom to vote for, but we have a responsibility to speak against communal forces and educate the youth,” he said.
Responding to the developments, TVK IT wing member Daniel Winston said the party is aware of the intensified outreach.
“Our leadership has asked us to remain restrained and not turn this into a communal issue,” he said.
Rejecting allegations that the TVK could indirectly benefit the BJP, he added, “Claims that we are aligned with or acting as a ‘B team’ for the BJP are unfounded.”