Assembly Elections 2026 | TVK Chief Vijay says ‘real Congress’ stands with TVK, questions TN Congress alignment

Chennai: Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday alleged that the ruling DMK had “bought over” the Tamil Nadu Congress using its “money power,” and claimed that the “real Congress” stood with him and his party, which he said is striving to protect the state’s secular fabric.

Addressing a public meeting in Tirunelveli, Vijay said both major alliances in the state — the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — were in disarray due to intense infighting among their constituents.

He also criticised the DMK for allegedly attempting to blame him for the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives, and accused the ruling party of trying to restrict his political activities through a new Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for public meetings.

Without directly referring to a divorce case involving his wife Sangeetha, Vijay suggested that attempts were being made to raise personal issues close to the elections through individuals known to him.

Calling the SPA a “cash-box alliance,” Vijay alleged that it was formed using “looted money.” “Chief Minister M.K. Stalin bought the Tamil Nadu Congress by spending heavily, but the real Congress is with TVK,” he said, adding that the internal rifts in both alliances were so deep that even their constituents may not support one another.

Vijay’s remarks appear aimed at attracting disenchanted Congress voters amid visible cracks within alliances. The divisions were evident earlier this week when Rahul Gandhi and M.K. Stalin campaigned separately in Puducherry, which is set to go to polls on Thursday.

Responding to Vijay’s claims, Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil said the assertion that the “real Congress” is with an individual sounded more like “fan club rhetoric” than a serious political position. “A 130-year-old movement rooted in ideology and collective leadership cannot be reduced to personal ownership. Such statements lack political depth and distract from real issues,” he said.