A fresh political buzz has emerged in Tamil Nadu after Aadhav Arjuna, a senior leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), claimed that party chief Vijay was offered the Chief Minister’s post along with a significant share of seats to ally for the upcoming state elections.
Speaking at a party meeting in Kolathur, Arjuna said Vijay was approached with multiple offers, including a seat-sharing arrangement ranging from 50 to 90 seats. However, he refused the proposal. “Vijay is not the kind of person who will succumb to Delhi for the sake of the Chief Minister’s post… he wants the trust of the people, not the post,” Arjuna said.
While he did not name the party, his remarks hinting at “Delhi” have led to speculation that the offer may have come from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
NDA talks and internal differences
Interestingly, sources within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had earlier indicated that discussions were indeed taking place between Vijay and the alliance. According to reports, Vijay was offered the Deputy Chief Minister’s post and around 55 seats. However, not everyone in the alliance is on board with the idea.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), a key NDA ally, has openly opposed any tie-up with TVK. Party leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said there are no talks with Vijay’s party. Insiders suggest the AIADMK is cautious about giving space to Vijay, fearing it could weaken its own position in the state.
BJP’s strategy and political calculations
The BJP, on the other hand, is believed to be keen on building a broader alliance to challenge the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. The DMK, which is allied with the Congress, has been dominant in recent elections, and the BJP sees coalition-building as key to taking it on.
At the same time, there are internal challenges within the NDA, with leaders shifting sides. Some AIADMK figures have moved towards TVK, while others have joined the DMK, complicating the alliance dynamics.
Despite all the rumours and speculations, Vijay has always made it very clear that he is planning to contest the elections on his own. Vijay has already referred to the BJP as his ‘ideological enemy’ and the DMK as his ‘political enemy’, and hence cannot form any alliance with them.