Following the Karur stampede, the BJP and AIADMK are exploring political engagement with Vijay’s TVK, with BJP leader K. Annamalai citing ideological affinities and shared admiration for historical figures, while criticizing the DMK government’s handling of the tragedy.
Within the DMK alliance, opinions are divided: VCK leader Thirumavalavan condemned the police for not booking Vijay
Potential opposition coalitions in Tamil Nadu remain uncertain, as AIADMK insists on leading any future government alone, raising questions about the role Vijay and TVK could play in alliance dynamics.
After the Karur stampede, the BJP and AIADMK seek to draw Vijay’s fledgling party into their orbit.
BJP’s Annamalai says his party has ideological affinity with that of TVK.
Annamalai’s overtures to the TVK reveal the BJP’s strategy to reshape alliances.
After the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives, political dynamics in Tamil Nadu have intensified. The DMK awaits the outcome of the judicial inquiry, while its allies, such as the VCK, have criticised the police for not naming Vijay in the FIR. Amidst this, speculation is rife that Vijay may seek alignment with major opposition parties. The BJP has already invited engagement, with BJP leader K. Annamalai highlighting his party’s shared ideological ground with Vijay’s outfit in an interview with Outlook.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has strongly criticised the leadership of the TVK and ordered the formation of an investigation team headed by senior IPS officer Asra Garg to probe the circumstances that led to the Kalur stampede. Two TVK leaders have already been booked under various provisions of the BNS. While hearing their bail pleas, the court came down heavily on the party for its “irresponsibility” and for its leader fleeing the scene of the incident.
Despite widespread public resentment over Vijay’s conduct, the police have refrained from filing a case against him. This decision has triggered anger within the DMK’s own alliance. VCK leader Thirumavalavan openly criticised the police for sparing the TVK chief, accusing them of shielding Vijay from accountability.
However, other DMK allies, such as the CPI(M), defended the police's stance, arguing that any excessive action would only give political mileage to the TVK and its opponents. CPI(M) politburo member K. Balakrishnan told Outlook that while there was no doubt Vijay had acted irresponsibly and displayed an utter lack of maturity, the question of booking him should be left to the findings of the enquiry report. “There is no point in demanding the immediate registration of a case against Vijay. The government has already ordered an enquiry. Any premature action will only be seen as politically motivated,” he said. DMK vehemently criticised Vijay’s challenge to arrest him, saying it was politically motivated. Reactions from the opposition, including the AIADMK and the BJP, suggest a potential shift in state political alignments. Both are using the stampede incident to explore new coalition strategies and strengthen positions against the DMK.K.
Further, the AIADMK and the BJP have been cautious in their criticism, singling out the DMK government and its administrative machinery for the stampede. Both parties have accused the ruling dispensation of an intelligence failure and argued that the tragedy could have been prevented had adequate security been deployed.
At a meeting on Friday, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami alleged that the DMK government was biased against the opposition and deliberately failed to provide proper security at his public rallies. The political undertone of his remarks was unmistakable—an attempt to extend an olive branch to Vijay’s TVK.
The BJP has gone a step further in seeking common ground with Vijay’s TVK. In an exclusive interaction with Outlook, the party’s former president K. Annamalai said there are “many things in common” between the BJP and Vijay’s outfit. He categorically stated that the government’s inefficiency was the primary cause of the tragedy. He blamed the authorities for not deploying enough police officers, and the allotted place was not suitable for a large political rally. “The DMK Government is absolving itself of its responsibility by pointing fingers at TVK for the entire catastrophe.”
When it was pointed out that TVK had described the BJP as its ideological enemy, Annamalai answered by explaining the ‘common ground’ the BJP shares with Vijay’s party.
“Out of the five ideological leaders that TVK announced for itself, the BJP has always celebrated Karmaveerar Kamaraj, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Veeramangai Rani Velunachiyar and Anjalai Ammal. We can proudly claim that the BJP has honoured these personalities far more than any other political party in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Admitting that the only divergence lay in their view of Periyar, Annamalai added, “We have ideological differences with EVR Periyar. So does Vijay. Vijay has openly stated that he does not accept the atheist philosophies of EVR Periyar.”
Continuing this line of argument, the former IPS officer also held the DMK government responsible for the stampede, carefully leaving Vijay out of the blame. When asked who should be held accountable, Annamalai was equivocal.
“The Tamil Nadu Police is now acting as the extended functionaries of the DMK. When Chief Minister M.K. Stalin holds a roadshow, the entire district police machinery is deployed. But when it comes to rallies of the opposition, the police show complete indifference,” he said.
Annamalai alleged that Stalin’s visit to the stampede site in Karur was prompted less by compassion than by public anger. “The Chief Minister did not bother to visit Kallakurichi when 66 people died after consuming spurious liquor. But he rushed to Karur only because of the public outrage,” he charged.
The BJP is encouraging the AIADMK to bring back leaders who previously left the NDA. AIADMK’s K.A. Sengottaiyan publicly called for the reinstatement of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and others, fueling speculation that this push is coordinated with BJP efforts to unify the opposition. AIADMK and BJP continue to seek a response from Vijay’s TVK, which remains silent. Previously critical of both parties, Vijay is now under pressure following the stampede’s political fallout, raising questions about possible alliances.
For the AIADMK, however, the path is complicated. The party has already declared that while it may fight the election with allies, if voted to power, the government will not be a coalition, but an AIADMK-led administration. In effect, Palaniswami has ruled out sharing power. Given this stance, a larger question arises: can Vijay, who has built a larger-than-life persona for himself, play second fiddle to the AIADMK? As a result, any potential coalition appears far more complex than it seems.
