DMK faces a challenge as allies set to join TVK government

Key points

• With most of its pre-poll allies now backing the TVK government, the DMK, which headed the strong Secular Progressive Alliance since 2017, is now almost friendless in politics.
• The Dravidian party is now, for company, left with just the MDMK and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, whose nominees contested on its rising symbol.
• Besides, its newer ally, DMDK has not shifted loyalties.
• While the Congress abandoned the DMK soon after polls and joined Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Cabinet on Thursday, the IUML and VCK are set to join the Ministry on Friday signalling the end of their relations with the DMK.
• However, the CPI and CPI-M, which have extended outside support to the government, are likely to have some working relationship with the DMK in Parliament on issues such as the rights of States and secularism.