TVK to hold crucial alliance meeting amid Congress, Left tensions

TVK will hold its second alliance coordination meeting in Chennai on Wednesday amid tensions with Congress and a boycott by Left parties. The meeting will discuss formalising the coalition, a Common Minimum Programme and steering committee, while tensions over Vijay's national ambitions persist

Chennai: The ruling TVK will hold its crucial second coordination meeting with its allies here on Wednesday amidst a cloud of internal friction marked by a boycott from Left parties and growing national leadership tension between TVK and its key cabinet partner, the Congress.

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s alliance coordination meeting at 4 pm at its party headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai, will be chaired by TVK founder and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The high-stakes huddle aims to formalise the ruling post-poll coalition, draft a Common Minimum Programme, establish a dedicated steering committee, and finalise an official name for the alliance rooted in social justice and secularism.

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While major cabinet allies – the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) – have confirmed their attendance, the Left parties have chosen to skip the meeting, saying their support to the TVK government was issue-based. Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) is attending the meeting.

Both the CPI(M) and CPI have officially announced they will not attend the meeting, marking the second time they will skip formal alliance talks following a similar move on July 1. On Tuesday, CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam clarified that the party’s issue-based outside support is to keep the TVK government stable in the Assembly.

The party was unwilling to join a formal structure meant to anchor future local body and 2029 Lok Sabha electoral pacts without holding cabinet berths. Also, the party wanted to retain its independent nature to criticise state policies on labour, argriculture, and public issues.

The Left leaders recently met CM Vijay separately to submit a memorandum on worker grievances, the Cauvery dispute, and state budget concerns.

Adding to the intrigue is a simmering public row over national leadership. A chorus from the TVK legislators and ministers pitching CM Vijay as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections has drawn severe pushback from the Congress.

TNCC leaders have firmly reiterated that Rahul Gandhi remains the non-negotiable face of the opposition national bloc, with Congress Minister S Rajesh Kumar warning that undermining this consensus could make the Congress reconsider its decision to participate in the state cabinet.

TVK ministers later termed “Vijay for PM” voices as “personal opinions” of individual lawmakers. Tomorrow’s meeting will test Vijay’s political dexterity in keeping his coalition partners united while setting the governance roadmap for Tamil Nadu. The TVK relies on the Congress support (five MLAs) in the Assembly, VCK, IUML and the Left parties (two MLAs each) to maintain its thin majority in the Assembly.