The gift of a ‘sofa’ with a pile of money to a politician in Tamil Nadu is a parody of the bargaining that has been going on since the actor-politician Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) came to power with 108 seats (actually with 106 voting members after one member was barred and Vijay vacated one seat) and still lacks a simple majority in the 234-member state legislature. The TVK government received 144 votes in the confidence motion on May 13, 2026 in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, meaning that a large number of legislators outside the formal alliance also support the government. The voting process later revealed that 21 rebel MLAs of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) defied the party whip and voted in favor of the confidence motion along with supporting the lone member of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) S Kamaraj who openly ignored the directions of the party leadership.
However, the Speaker refused to initiate disqualification proceedings against them, signaling the re-emergence of the old game of ‘bargaining’ in Tamil Nadu amid allegations of diversion of funds, posts and incentives in order to encourage and ensure the momentum of defections from opposition parties to the ruling TVK coalition. AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami sought action against the rebel MLAs and did not file a separate petition before the Supreme Court or the Supreme Court as the Speaker is usually the first authority to decide such disputes. The key question is whether it is reasonable to expect court intervention and judicial review in the Tamil Nadu case with “Operation Tiger” in Maharashtra, and the emergence of factions within the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, revealing the nationalist tendency of opposition parties weakened by electoral defeats and vulnerable to internal temptations and divisions.
The game is not over yet The resignation of four MLAs belonging to the rebel group within the AIADMK and their subsequent joining of TVK on May 25, 2026 not only reduced the AIADMK’s assembly power but also exposed the ruling TVK’s art of running the numbers game in the state legislature. This development is noteworthy because these four MLAs were elected on AIADMK tickets just a few days ago. The Speaker’s announcement that no disqualification proceedings will be initiated against the rebel AIADMK MLAs also speaks volumes about the nature of political competition and the desperation of the ruling TVK who came to power on the plank of change and alternative to the politics of money, patronage and privileges. There are more members from the AIADMK including senior leaders who are negotiating for their time and fortunes while waiting in the wings.
There is a near breakdown in relations between the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) led by V Gopalasamy (Vaiko) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with the MDMK leadership expressing its self-respect and dignity while at the same time exploring future prospects in alliance with TVK. It is worth noting that the MDMK contested four seats within the DMK-led alliance and succeeded in winning two of them. The current strength of the MDMK in the state assembly is two seats and any attempt to join the TVK coalition will pose a new political and legal crisis as the MDMK contested its seats on the DMK symbol. This may pose a critical dilemma for the MDMK movement and further exposes the legal complexities of electoral democracy in India. All these developments may point to TVK’s survival tactics and its ability to exploit weaknesses in our political democracy. The relationship between money and political power remains an indisputable fact.
It may seem like a simple and ordinary transition, but the TVK-led coalition government in Tamil Nadu still stands with the support of erstwhile allies of the DMK including Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) besides getting support from rebel members of the AIADMK. This is the paradox between electoral politics and political democracy in India, which has fallen into the trap of power and authority. It is natural for voters to wonder whether their mandate has been respected or appropriated.
The Greek philosopher Socrates feared that democracy would reward rhetoric and popularity rather than facts and competence. Skilled orators and demagogues are able to manipulate public opinion and push voters to elect and support a government that conflicts with their own interests.
Mastering social media and AI tools has also revealed that one does not need to be qualified as a leader with qualities attributed to good leadership including the ability or persuasion to communicate with audiences. Social media is doing the work instead with new and rapid developments in technology. The role of money and the fundamental financial influence of a political party remains a decisive factor in obtaining the votes of the people and elected members of the Assembly. Price is the only difference with the money launderers and lottery kings who replaced the liquor barons and sand mafia of previous regimes.
(Professor Ramu Manivannan is a political scientist – researcher and activist in the fields of education, human rights and sustainable development. He is currently the Director of the Interdisciplinary Center – Center for Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Kurumppalayam Village, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu.)
