Chennai, August 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress leader Manickam Tagore on Sunday said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) could be invited to join the INDIA bloc after the party secures representation in Parliament, indicating that any formal alliance would depend on it winning Lok Sabha seats.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Tagore was asked whether the party led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was currently part of the Opposition alliance.
“TVK currently has no MPs. When the party wins parliamentary seats, we will ask it to join the INDIA bloc. We cannot invite a party without MPs to become part of the alliance. Once it has MPs, we will certainly consider including it,” he said.
Tagore also referred to the political developments following the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, claiming that TVK emerged as the largest party with 106 seats.
According to the Congress leader, Vijay’s first call after the election results was to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and that he sought Congress support to form the government and become Chief Minister.
“The Congress was the first party to submit a letter extending support to the TVK government. Every minister in the present government is aware of this fact. The government and its ministers initially received the support of the Congress,” Tagore said.
He further claimed that Congress support had prevented the BJP from attempting to form an alternative government in the state. Tagore alleged that, without Congress backing, Union Home Minister Amit Shah could have sought to destabilise the TVK government and install AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami as Chief Minister.
“Otherwise, Amit Shah would have finished the TVK’s political story by now. The party could have been split, and Palaniswami made Chief Minister. Everyone in the TVK understands the circumstances under which the government was formed,” he said.
Asked about Vijay’s relatively limited comments on national politics and alliance matters, Tagore said the Chief Minister would articulate his position when necessary.
“Let the election come first. Vijay generally speaks very little, but when the time comes for him to express his position, he will speak clearly and appropriately,” he said.
Tagore’s remarks are likely to fuel speculation over future political cooperation between the Congress and TVK. However, he made it clear that any move to formally bring TVK into the INDIA bloc would be considered only after the party gains representation in Parliament.
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