TN is unique in avoiding a coalition govt so far. Will it change?

- S KUMARESAN & T MURUGANANDHAM

The bipolarity of Tamil Nadu's political landscape, dominated by the DMK and the AIADMK, has earned it a unique place in India as perhaps the only major state that has resisted a coalition government for nearly seven decades.

However, a situation seems to have now arisen in which a combination of factors is likely to alter this status quo in 2026. These factors include the perceived weakening of the AIADMK, which could alter the bipolarity of the politics, the rising assertiveness albeit gradually of parties like VCK and the Congress in articulating their aspiration for sharing power and the latest being the new entrant Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's assertion that the party, even if elected with a single majority, will share power with the parties that want to be allies.

Independent India's history shows that all the southern states (barring the recently formed Telangana) and most major states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and several northeastern states have all had coalition governments.

The last time Tamil Nadu had a semblance of a coalition government was when the Congress could not secure a majority in 1952. Rajaji had to be brought back to active politics to pull together support from various parties to form a government. M Manickavelu Naicker of the Commonweal party was also accommodated in that cabinet. It is another matter that the latter joined the Congress after K Kamaraj became chief minister in 1954.