Congress has decided to back actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), following the new party’s massive win in the assembly election that jolted the southern state’s politics by breaking the DMK and AIADMK’s traditional duopoly.
Confirming the decision to NDTV, Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil said, “Yes, the Political Affairs Committee has authorised the TNCC to support TVK in government formation.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was clearly in favor of supporting TVK, but Congress President Kharge wanted the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to make this decision instead of the Delhi leaders, sources said. A late-night virtual meeting of the Congress Political Affairs Committee authorised the Tamil Nadu unit to back TVK’s government formation.
According to sources, Congress is expecting two ministerial positions in Vijay’s government. Congress leaders Girish Chodankar and Praveen Chakraborty are in contact with TVK leaders, they added. However, the party had placed a key precondition – TVK must not align with the NDA or its allies, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).