Chennai: The Congress party’s severe drubbing in the Bihar Assembly elections has significantly diminished the likelihood of the party reconsidering its alliance choices in Tamil Nadu.
According to senior political observers and party sources, the Congress high command is now even more inclined to stay firmly within the DMK-led front, leaving little room for alternative coalition experiments ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The setback in Bihar – where the Congress expected a revival but instead faced a major electoral blow – has reportedly prompted the party’s central leadership to reinforce stability in states where it already enjoys a viable alliance structure.
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK-Congress partnership has delivered consistent electoral success since 2019, both in Parliament and the State Assembly, and this performance is seen as crucial at a time when the Congress is re-evaluating its national strategy.
This development has come as a major disappointment to the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), which had been hoping to bring the Congress into its fold to build a strong alternative front.
TVK leaders believed that the national party might consider exploring a new coalition, particularly after actor-politician Vijay’s recent public appeal for forming a stable coalition government after 2026.
There had been growing speculation in political circles that some Congress MLAs, MPs and district-level office-bearers – especially those unhappy with the present TNCC leadership – were open to the idea of aligning with TVK.
Some Congress members had reportedly viewed the emerging party as a platform that could offer more seats and potential cabinet prospects in a future coalition government.
TVK leaders, meanwhile, had been buoyed by internal survey findings that claimed the party enjoys close to 26 per cent public support across Tamil Nadu.
They believed this placed TVK in a competitive position in a possible three-cornered contest involving the DMK, AIADMK and a TVK-led front.
For the party, Congress was seen as the most viable second partner due to its statewide organisational presence and national image, which TVK considered essential for attracting neutral voters.
Additionally, TVK functionaries had often cited the cordial relationship between Vijay and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, dating back to their meeting in 2012, as a factor that could help ease political negotiations.
However, the landscape has shifted sharply after the Bihar results. Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu now believe the high command will adhere to the DMK alliance – both for its proven electoral performance and for the parliamentary strength it continues to offer at a time when the party is seeking stability over experimentation.
(IANS)
