The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and head of TVK, C. Joseph Vijay, named his alliance with the Congress, VCK, MDMK, and IUML the 'Alliance for Secular Social Justice' on Wednesday. This followed a meeting between the party leaders at the TVK headquarters in Chennai.
TVK sources, quoted by PTI, had previously confirmed the participation of key coalition partners, including the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), in the meeting.
However, the CPM and CPI parties decided not to attend this meeting, marking their second consecutive boycott of official coalition talks since July 1.
Explaining their decision, CPM state secretary P. Shanmugam stated on Tuesday that external support for the left parties would remain strictly based on specific issues, aiming to maintain stability in the Assembly.
Tensions are rising due to growing public disagreement between TVK and the Congress regarding the issue of national leadership. Statements by TVK legislators and ministers, who position Chief Minister Vijay as a potential prime ministerial candidate in the 2029 general elections, have drawn sharp opposition from leaders of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC).
Congress Minister S. Rajesh Kumar firmly stated that Rahul Gandhi remains the undisputed leader of the national opposition bloc. He warned that any attempt to undermine this consensus could prompt the party to reconsider its participation in the state cabinet.
TVK leadership subsequently attempted to downplay the significance of this dispute, asserting that comments about 'Vijay as PM' reflected the personal opinions of individual legislators.