The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday criticised the Indian National Congress for backing Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu. The party said this move shows Congress has a pattern of betraying its allies. It also took aim at the opposition INDIA bloc, claiming the alliance is breaking apart and lacks a shared ideology or direction.

The reaction came after the Tamil Nadu Congress decided to support TVK leader Vijay in forming a government in the state. According to sources, the decision was made during an urgent meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of the Tamil Nadu Congress late on Tuesday night. This move also signals a break from its long-standing alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Responding to the development, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that the INDI alliance had effectively come to an end after the Tamil Nadu assembly election results were declared on May 4. He accused Congress of repeatedly betraying its political partners.

"There is nobody whom the Congress has not deceived. Imagine what they will do to the Samajwadi Party if they have done this to the DMK," he wrote in a post on X.

Poonawalla went further and described the situation as the "last rites" of the INDIA bloc. In a video message, he said, "It has become a Bharat free of the DMK, TMC and the Left, and now Congress has dumped the DMK for the TVK." He alleged that the opposition alliance was formed only due to political convenience and personal ambitions.

"The INDI alliance never had any mission or vision. It was only about ambition for position, corruption, commission and obsession against Modi ji that they came together. But now it is all falling apart like a pack of cards," he said.

He also questioned the unity of the opposition parties, pointing out their absence in several states during elections. "Where was the INDI alliance in Bengal, in Kerala, in Gujarat, in Punjab, in Delhi, in Haryana, in Karnataka? There is no INDI alliance," he said.

Meanwhile, the DMK strongly reacted to Congress extending support to TVK. The party called the move a betrayal by a long-time ally. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Anadurai criticised the decision and said it went against the mandate of the people.

Speaking to PTI videos, he said, "The Congress party has decided to ally with the TVK, pledging their support to the party. I think they have backstabbed... They have backstabbed the people of Tamil Nadu. They've backstabbed the mandate given by the people of Tamil Nadu." He also raised concerns about the timing of the decision.

"Even before the ink on the returning officer's signature on the victory certificate dried up, they've chosen to go ahead with an alliance," he said.

The political developments come after the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results placed TVK in a strong but short position. The party won 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, which is below the majority mark. To form a government, TVK requires support from at least 10 more MLAs.

The Congress has won five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) secured four seats. The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) won two seats each. The outgoing ruling party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, secured 59 seats, while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won 47 seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win only one seat. The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) also secured one seat each, while the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) won two seats.

In the elections, Congress contested as part of a pre-poll alliance with the DMK, while the BJP was in alliance with the AIADMK. The results were declared earlier this week, setting the stage for new political alignments in the state.

The developments indicate a shifting political landscape in Tamil Nadu. Congress’s decision to support TVK has not only strained its ties with the DMK but has also triggered sharp reactions from both allies and opponents. The BJP has used the moment to question the unity and future of the INDIA bloc, calling it unstable and driven by individual ambitions rather than a shared agenda.