MDMK Quits DMK-Led Alliance After 9 Years, Cites Compromise On 'Ideology, Principles'
MDMK Quits DMK-Led Alliance After 9 Years, Cites Compromise On 'Ideology, Principles' Published By, Last Updated: June 27, 2026, 14:17 IST The decision was taken
MDMK Quits DMK-Led Alliance After 9 Years, Cites Compromise On 'Ideology, Principles' Published By, Last Updated: June 27, 2026, 14:17 IST The decision was taken at the party's 32nd General Council meeting, which is underway at Vijaysree Mahal in Chennai MDMK General Secretary Vaiko | Image credit: ANI The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) on Saturday announced its exit from the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) headed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), ending its nine-year association with the alliance. The decision was taken at the party’s 32nd General Council meeting under the chairmanship of its General Secretary Vaiko, which is underway at Vijaysree Mahal in Chennai, sources told CNN-News18, adding that a formal resolution was passed during the gathering, confirming the party’s exit from the DMK-led alliance. The move comes in the aftermath of a bruising defeat faced by the DMK-led SPA in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election that saw Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) –– led by actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay –– emerge as the single-largest party in the state.
According to the resolution, the MDMK stressed that it had joined and continued with the alliance out of “ideological commitment to prevent communal political forces" from gaining ground in Tamil Nadu, news agency ANI reported. The resolution highlighted the MDMK had been a part of the DMK-led alliance since a High-Level Committee resolution was adopted on December 3, 2017. The resolution claimed that during the recently-concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly Election, attempts were made within the alliance to weaken the MDMK’s independent political identity despite its 32-year political journey. However, the party chose to stay with its allies and contest the elections, it added. ‘Arrangements Made To Install AIADMK’ Referring to post-poll developments, the MDMK accused the SPA of compromising on its avowed ideology and principles by “attempting to install the AIADMK“. “It is an open secret that arrangements were made to install the AIADMK, which had won only 47 Assembly seats, in power by forging an alliance with Hindutva communal forces.
As a result, the claims that the Secular Progressive Alliance was an alliance founded on ideology and principles were rendered meaningless," read the resolution, according to ANI. The MDMK asserted an appropriate decision on future electoral alliances would be taken at the time of elections. Several allies of the SPA –– the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) –– walked out of the alliance after the elections, extending support to the TVK and enabling the Vijay-led party to gain majority in the state. Although the TVK emerged as the single-largest party, it failed to secure a majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The party had bagged 118 seats. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: June 27, 2026, 14:17 IST News india MDMK Quits DMK-Led Alliance After 9 Years, Cites Compromise On 'Ideology, Principles' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.
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