MDMK Chief Vaiko Convenes Chennai Meetings to Decide on Leaving DMK Alliance
On Friday, June 26, 2026, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief Vaiko convened the party’s high-level committee in Chennai to decide whether to exit the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance. The party is considering a potential move to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led front, amid a shifting political landscape in Tamil Nadu.
The final announcement regarding the decision to move away from the DMK-led coalition is expected to be made on Saturday, June 27, 2026, following a scheduled meeting of the MDMK general body in Chennai.
If the MDMK decides to walk out of the alliance, the DMK will be left with fewer allies in the state. This development follows a broader trend in Tamil Nadu's changing political environment, where almost all of the DMK's allies have been moving toward the TVK.
The potential shift has also raised questions about the status of the MDMK's two current Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), T.M. Rajendran of Kadayanallur and Senthil Selvan of Sirkazhi. Both representatives contested and won their seats in the 2026 Assembly election using the DMK's "Rising Sun" symbol.
Speculation suggests that the MDMK leadership may ask both MLAs to resign from their legislative memberships because they ran on the partner party's symbol. However, Senthil Selvan has reportedly decided to stay on as an MLA.
The MDMK first joined the DMK-led alliance in 2017. Since then, the party has remained in the coalition through four major elections, including the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as well as the 2021 and 2026 Assembly elections.
With the exception of the 2024 general election, MDMK candidates contested on the DMK symbol. In the 2024 election, Vaiko’s son, Durai Vaiko, ran on a separate symbol and won the Tiruchi parliamentary seat.
The disagreement over the MDMK contesting on its own symbol persisted into the 2026 Assembly election, but the party ultimately fielded its candidates on the DMK ticket.