Vijay-Led TVK Skips PMK Protest, Alliance Possibility Hangs In The Balance

A day before actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to resume his statewide tour, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) stayed away from a protest led by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss in Chennai, reigniting speculation over shifting political equations in Tamil Nadu.

The protest, demanding a caste-based survey by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, saw the presence of the BJP and TTV  Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). The absence of the TVK came amid persistent buzz of a possible PMK-TVK alliance.

Just days earlier, Advocate Balu, a key PMK leader close to Anbumani Ramadoss, had personally invited senior TVK leaders to participate in the agitation. That outreach had triggered talk that the PMK leader might be exploring a political realignment, including the possibility of snapping ties with the BJP and joining hands with Vijay's party.

TVK sources, however, say the party is treading cautiously. While the TVK would "welcome" Anbumani Ramadoss into its fold, they are wary of being seen on the same platform as the BJP, which the party has repeatedly described as its ideological adversary. 

The political churn is further complicated by an ongoing tug-of-war within the PMK, with differences between party founder Dr S Ramadoss and his son Anbumani Ramadoss increasingly visible. This internal dynamic has added to the uncertainty over PMK's alliance choices ahead of the elections.

Both the PMK and TVK have been vocal in demanding a caste census in Tamil Nadu. The DMK government has maintained that a caste-based census would be legally admissible only if conducted by the Union government, a position rejected by the opposition parties.

Earlier, TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna had said the DMK's stand was an "eyewash", adding that the PMK had written to the TVK on the issue. "PMK has given us a letter regarding a good cause. We will share this with our leader and announce a decision," he had said.

The TVK has promised a share in power to alliance partners if a coalition led by it comes to office. So far, no major party has formally joined hands with Vijay. An understanding with the PMK could be mutually beneficial: the PMK's organisational strength in northern Tamil Nadu could bolster the TVK, while the PMK, which has struggled to capture power on its own, could gain a stake in governance if a TVK-led alliance succeeds.

For now, it remains unclear whether this is a tactical wait-and-watch game. Anbumani Ramadoss is yet to clearly spell out his alliance strategy, even as the possibility of a split within the PMK looms. Irrespective of his eventual choice, the BJP is believed to be making concerted efforts to prevent Anbumani Ramadoss from gravitating towards the TVK.