With both the AIADMK and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ruling out an alliance for the upcoming Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu is likely to witness a three-cornered contest. On Saturday, soon after actor-politician Vijay’s party dismissed reports of negotiations, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami also ruled out the possibility of an alliance, describing such claims as media speculation.
Speaking at an event in Chennai, Palaniswami said the AIADMK has had no contact with the TVK.
“I have already made it clear. So far, we have not held any talks with them (TVK). When that is the case, how can an alliance be formed? It is the media that is magnifying the issue and making unnecessary claims that there will be an alliance or that the TVK will join the NDA. The AIADMK has no contact with that party and we have not held any parleys to form an alliance,” he said.
Earlier, TVK’s Joint General Secretary C. T. R. Nirmal Kumar appealed to party members not to believe “rumours” and to rely only on official announcements from the party. “Various news stories are being circulated daily through the media and social media about the TVK based on speculation, with the aim of diverting attention from people’s issues,” he said in a statement.
Talking to PTI news agency, Kumar labelled BJP as its ideological enemy. "There's no scope for an alliance with the NDA. We have already made it clear that the BJP is our ideological enemy,"
Speculation about a possible alliance had gathered momentum in recent weeks, with reports suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to reach out to Vijay in an effort to bring the TVK into the NDA fold.
Last week, Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson A. N. S. Prasad urged Vijay to join the NDA, warning that a split in anti-DMK votes could help the ruling party retain power.
“TVK leader Vijay claims his goal is to block the DMK. If that is genuine, he must align with the AIADMK-BJP alliance,” Prasad said. “Beyond power, seats, or the Chief Minister’s post, the focus should be on rescuing Tamil Nadu and ensuring that the wrong person does not come to power.”
Dates for polls to the 234-seat Tamil Nadu Assembly will be anounced by the Election Commission on Sunday. While the DMK-led alliance is set to promote its "Dravidian Model 2.0", the BJP-AIADMK alliance is determined to reclaim power. The entry of Vijay's TVK into the electoral race is expected to make the contest a three-way battle.
In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the DMK-led alliance emerged victorious, winning 159 seats, with the DMK itself crossing the halfway mark by securing 133 seats. The AIADMK, on the other hand, won 60 seats, while its alliance partner, the BJP, secured just 4 seats.
