Tamil Nadu politics sees talks between TVK and PMK over cabinet berths

Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam and Pattali Makkal Katchi are holding serious political talks that could lead to cabinet positions for PMK leaders in Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's government. Both parties are discussing a potential alliance, though PMK must first resolve its political ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party before any formal deal takes place.

Election Context

PMK contested the 2026 assembly election alongside the AIADMK-BJP alliance, where Anbumani Ramadoss led a faction that was allotted 18 assembly seats and won four. For the upcoming 6 October by-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, PMK has decided not to support any party. In Madurantakam, this neutral stance by PMK is considered significant because its support among the Vanniyar community could have helped AIADMK while TVK gains strength in the area. TVK top sources indicate this neutrality is part of ongoing political talks between the two parties.

Negotiation Details

Discussions are mainly taking place through PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and Chief Minister Vijay's political advisor John Arokiasamy, according to senior leaders familiar with the matter. This political connection dates back to the 2016 assembly election when Arokiasamy worked on PMK's political strategy and ran the 'Matram, Munnetram, Anbumani' campaign featuring Anbumani Ramadoss as the chief ministerial candidate. TVK sources state that the talks include a proposal to offer PMK two spots in Vijay's cabinet. One cabinet post could go to Soumya Anbumani, who is Anbumani Ramadoss's wife and the floor leader of PMK in the assembly. The second post is discussed for PMK MLA A. Ganesh Kumar. Soumya Anbumani brings a strong electoral mandate to the table, having won the Dharmapuri assembly seat by securing 93,713 votes and defeating the TVK candidate by a margin of 20,896 votes.

Government Numbers

For Chief Minister Vijay, bringing PMK on board helps address a legislative shortfall from the previous election. TVK won 108 seats out of the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly, falling 10 seats short of a simple majority and forcing the formation of a government with the support of smaller parties. Recent resignations of AIADMK MLAs led to by-elections, creating a path for Vijay to strengthen his position. A senior TVK leader noted that the by-election results will shape the next round of talks, as an easy TVK win gives Vijay more bargaining power, while a weak performance would raise the value of every external MLA and increase PMK's bargaining strength. PMK's main strength lies in its Vanniyar base, which is concentrated in northern Tamil Nadu and other parts of the state.

Alliance Challenges

Including PMK in the ruling fold presents hurdles due to the history of friction between PMK and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, another key ally of TVK. VCK is already part of the government and holds cabinet posts, though TVK leaders believe VCK will find it hard to leave Vijay because a section of Dalit voters directly supported Vijay in the election. Meanwhile, Left parties are already distancing themselves, with CPI and CPI(M) stating they are not part of the TVK alliance and are contesting by-elections independently. For Anbumani Ramadoss, the most difficult conversation involves the BJP, given that PMK fought the election as part of the AIADMK-BJP front in April.

Context

Coalition governments in state politics often rely on bringing regional and caste-based parties into the cabinet to secure a stable majority in the assembly. Parties with dedicated vote banks like the Vanniyar community hold substantial leverage during seat-sharing and power-sharing negotiations. Shifting political alignments after an election usually stem from the ruling party's need to solidify numbers and reduce dependence on smaller, less predictable allies.