DMK faces a challenge as allies set to join TVK government

With most of its pre-poll allies now backing the TVK government, the DMK, which headed the strong Secular Progressive Alliance since 2017, is now almost friendless in politics. The Dravidian party is now, for company, left with just the MDMK and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, whose nominees contested on its rising symbol. Besides, its newer ally, DMDK has not shifted loyalties.

While the Congress abandoned the DMK soon after polls and joined Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Cabinet on Thursday, the IUML and VCK are set to join the Ministry on Friday signalling the end of their relations with the DMK.

However, the CPI and CPI-M, which have extended outside support to the government, are likely to have some working relationship with the DMK in Parliament on issues such as the rights of States and secularism.

“We have already said we will extend issue-based support to the DMK,” said P. Shanmugam, state secretary, CPI-M.

CPI state secretary M. Veerapandian, justified the outside support to the TVK, the single largest party, to prevent President’s Rule. “We should respect the people’s verdict. Our support will continue for five years. It is our expectation that the government should continue the schemes that have become a model for the country,” he said.

The Communists were left with little choice when a proposal emerged to form a government led by the AIADMK with DMK’s support.

It was this proposal that altered the course of the State’s politics as the Communists are opposed to the BJP, in whose company the AIADMK fought the elections.

The Left’s position is not to join any government unless it is in a position to influence its policies.

Mr Vijay was learnt to have invited VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan, to join the Cabinet, offering portfolios of his choice and being ranked third in seniority in the Cabinet so that he could “guide the government.” Mr. Thirumavalavan, was initially inclined, but subsequently favoured the induction of Mr Vanni Arasu.

The DMK, once seen as a champion of minorities and long dependent on their support base, now faces a different political situation with the emergence of the allies shifting base.

According to the DMK’s internal assessment, Christians across the State overwhelmingly voted for the TVK, while Scheduled Caste voters too increasingly gravitated towards the new party. Party leaders believe these two factors contributed to the defeat of party president M. K. Stalin in the Kolathur constituency.

However, being out of power and facing a political crisis — as it did during the Emergency — is nothing new for the DMK. The party, however, needs to reconnect with Generation Z, which largely depends on social media and the internet for information. It also has to reflect on how Mr Vijay whose charisma was built through cinema could prevail over long-standing ideological moorings.