Stalin meets Vaiko, fuels DMK-MDMK alliance speculation

Refusing to comment on any specific conversation at the meeting, he said both leaders exchanged pleasantries.

Stalin with Vaiko at the wedding reception in Mahabalipuram on Wednesday.

M K Stalin met MDMK founder Vaiko at the wedding of PMK leader S Ramadoss’s granddaughter in Mahabalipuram on Wednesday, days after the DMK treasurer hinted at a broad alliance between opposition parties against the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.

The meeting gained political significance as Vaiko had left DMK in 1993 due to differences over M Karunanidhi promoting his son Stalin to succeed him in the party.

The two leaders met at the wedding of the daughter of PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, former union health minister and son of S Ramadoss.

“It has become an occasion for old allies to meet once again. It has its own significance as there are talks going on to form a new alliance against AIADMK after J Jayalalithaa’s conviction (in a disproportionate assets case),” said a senior DMK leader.

Refusing to comment on any specific conversation at the meeting, he said both leaders exchanged pleasantries.

After attending the high-profile wedding function, Vaiko told reporters that he asked Stalin about Karunanidhi’s health. Both leaders, however, did not make any political dialogue or discuss possibilities of forging an alliance.

In a recent interview with a Tamil news channel, Stalin had hinted at such an alliance and made pleasant remarks about both MDMK and Ramadoss’s PMK.

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Political experts saw it as a strategic move from Stalin, especially after the conviction of Jayalalithaa, prior to the Assembly elections in 2016.

If the rumour surrounding the meeting of Stalin and Vaiko comes true, it would be the making of a rainbow alliance in Tamil Nadu — consisting DMK, PMK, MDMK, DMDK and Left parties.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More