Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 22 : Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi president T Velmurugan on Sunday announced that his party is exiting the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, asserting political independence and rejecting what he described as a "big brother attitude."
"We will not tolerate a big brother attitude or treatment of us by anyone. We are coming out of the DMK-led alliance. We will not join the NDA at any cost. We will announce our alliance very soon," Velmurugan said.
The announcement marks a significant shift in the state's alliance dynamics, with TVK now exploring the possibility of forming a new front.
Velmurugan revealed that during seat-sharing negotiations, the DMK had offered his party just one seat, which TVK refused to accept. "Instead, the party placed 10 key demands focusing on farmers, fishermen, and marginalised communities. According to him, these demands, raised repeatedly in the Assembly over the years, were not taken seriously by the government."
He alleged that the DMK leadership was uncomfortable with TVK raising independent policy demands, especially when other alliance partners did not adopt a similar stance.
He further claimed that officials and political actors influenced the decision to sideline his party, fearing he would expose critical issues if given greater representation.
Adding to this, he said, "Among the issues highlighted were land acquisition concerns in Neyveli, where he accused authorities of displacing residents, and land rights violations in the Nilgiris district, where he claimed tribal lands had been encroached upon or misused. He also criticised what he described as increasing corporate influence in governance."
Velmurugan questioned the state government's commitment to social justice, particularly its reluctance to conduct a caste-based census, and alleged that administrative decisions were being influenced by powerful interests.
Despite his sharp criticism, he clarified that he has no personal differences with Chief Minister MK Stalin, stating that his concerns are purely political and policy-driven.
He confirmed that TVK will not join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) under any circumstances. Instead, the party is in talks with over 25 smaller parties and social organisations and will take a final call on alliances after extensive consultations.
"A new alliance led by our party will take shape soon. We will discuss with like-minded groups and arrive at a collective decision," he said.
Velmurugan added that the political landscape in Tamil Nadu could see a multi-cornered contest in 2026, depending on how new alliances evolve. He emphasised that TVK aims to pursue "value-based politics" and represent the interests of marginalised communities across the state.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10.
The polls will be a contest between the ruling DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA in the state. Actor-turned-politician Vijay has also thrown a hat in the ring by launching TVK.