Seeman-Vijay Alliance Talks Heat Up Ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls

With actor-turned-politician Vijay and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman emerging as strong voices against both the Centre and the State government, political observers believe a tie-up between the two could dramatically reshape the electoral battlefield.

The election is currently expected to be a four-cornered contest.

The ruling DMK is leading one front, while the Opposition AIADMK anchors another.

Vijay's TVK and Seeman's NTK are preparing to contest independently, positioning themselves as alternatives to the traditional Dravidian parties.

Much like in the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK has succeeded in keeping its alliance largely intact.

Actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has now joined the DMK-led front, adding to its strength.

On the other side, the AIADMK has revived its alliance with the BJP at the Centre. This bloc also includes the PMK (Anbumani faction), TMC, AMMK, New Justice Party, Indian Democratic Party and Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi (PMK).

There were earlier reports that the PMK led by Dr. Ramadoss might enter the DMK alliance, with claims of seat-sharing offers that included Assembly, Lok Sabha and even a Rajya Sabha berth. However, Ramadoss firmly shut the door on those talks by issuing a sharp statement criticising the DMK government and ruling out any alliance with it.

Meanwhile, despite keeping its doors open with promises of "power sharing", no party has joined Vijay's TVK so far. In response, the TVK leadership has reportedly adopted a new strategy - "one vote per household" -and is internally estimating a vote share of up to 40 per cent.

Party leaders are said to have conveyed this assessment directly to Vijay.

The pressure on Vijay, however, is intense. The CBI probe into the Karur stampede and ongoing issues related to the censor board clearance of his last film 'Jananayagan' continue to weigh heavily on him.

Close associates warn that an electoral setback could have serious political repercussions. It is against this backdrop that Vijay is believed to have reached out to Seeman through a mutual film industry contact, proposing an alliance.

The message, sources say, was clear: Contesting separately would only fragment votes, while a joint front could significantly improve their chances. Though Seeman did not respond immediately, he is reportedly giving the proposal serious thought, even as pressure mounts on him to go solo.

Political analysts point out that if the Seeman-Vijay alliance materialises, the election could shift from a four-cornered to a triangular contest - potentially altering the balance of power in Tamil Nadu.

As the State braces for the polls, one thing is certain, the political churn is far from over, and surprises remain very much on the table.

- IANS