AIADMK warms up to Vijay’s party, but cautious not to lose its position in bi-polar TN politics

CHENNAI: With no sign of a crack in the DMK-led front, the AIADMK is warming up to actor Vijay's Tamiliga Vettri Kazhagam TVK). The leadership of the principal opposition in the State has dropped ample evidence in their political gambit towards the actor's fledgling political party.

But AIADMK is said to be cautious enough not to risk its long-standing position in the bipolar politics of the Dravidian land.

Senior leaders in the AIADMK say they are considering the new entrant as a ‘potential ally’ to take on the DMK-led front in the Assembly polls. However, they are not willing to jeopardise their position as the arch-rival of the ruling Dravidian major.

The party’s general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has instructed spokespersons and senior leaders not to make any negative remarks about Vijay and TVK. They are prepared to wait and watch for the next couple of months before making their move.

A day after maintaining silence, party spokesperson D Jayakumar overtly extended solidarity to the TVK chief over his remarks on ‘fascism and payasam,’ noting that there is no difference between the ruling party at the State (DMK) and the Centre (BJP). "There is nothing wrong in what he (Vijay) said," Jayakumar stated, while Palaniswami took credit for Vijay sparing AIADMK from any criticism in his 45-minute speech at the October 27 conference.

The leadership sees the popular actor-turned-politician, with a huge fan following, as a perfect partner to put a brake on the DMK front's winning streak in the upcoming Assembly polls, sources in the AIADMK told DT Next. "The actor will definitely make an impact on the outcome of the 2026 elections. If he joins us, we will surely unseat the DMK and form our government. But it's a far-fetched idea, and it all depends on the political situation closer to the polls. We have to see how the new party and its leadership evolve in the next six months," said a former minister.

The former minister did not rule out that TVK could turn out to be a double-edged sword for the AIADMK. By declaring that the ruling DMK is his political enemy, Vijay would target the anti-DMK votes, the minister claimed. "If he goes alone or forms an alliance of his own, he will make a direct impact on us. It may also play in favour of the DMK on the electoral front. So, we have to prepare for any eventuality and step up our game to win the elections," said another senior leader, who also predicted that Vijay might attract around 7-10 per cent of votes.

The Dravidian major, however, is reluctant to enter into discussions about sharing power, as proposed by Vijay in his maiden political conference on October 27. Senior AIADMK leaders rejected the idea of a coalition government, stating that sharing power would not work in the State.

"There is a lot at stake. We have no choice but to win the Assembly polls in 2026 and form the government, or we will lose respect among our cadre. At the same time, it would be risky for us to open up to the idea of sharing governance. It will not suit our State and will further weaken us in the long run, paving the way for the BJP to make inroads," said a senior functionary hailing from the southern districts. He, however, was confident that Palaniswami's political acumen would come in handy to overcome such a situation.