Mani Shankar Aiyar, a senior Congress leader, has sharply criticized the party's recent decision to support the Tamil Maanila Congress (TVK) led by actor Vijay in Tamil Nadu. He described this move as 'dreadful' and indicative of 'low political opportunism', suggesting that it could facilitate the entry of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into the state. Aiyar called for Rahul Gandhi to step down as leader of the opposition INDIA bloc, proposing that regional leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, M K Stalin, or Tejashwi Yadav could better unify and strengthen the coalition. He emphasized that the Congress party's recent electoral setbacks were largely due to its failure to maintain strong alliances, particularly with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has been a long-time partner. Aiyar noted that the Congress secured its five assembly seats primarily due to its alliance with the DMK, and he warned that abandoning this trusted ally for the uncertain partnership with TVK could undermine the party’s credibility. The Congress's support for TVK marks a significant shift in Tamil Nadu politics, ending its long-standing alliance with the DMK, which has accused Congress of betrayal. Following the April 23 elections, TVK emerged as the largest party with 108 seats but still lacks the majority needed to govern independently.