Akhilesh Yadav has publicly stood by MK Stalin and the DMK, amid the Tamil Nadu government formation crisis, in a move widely seen as a subtle message to the Congress. The Congress's decision to back Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has triggered friction within the opposition camp, with the DMK accusing the Congress of "backstabbing" a trusted ally.

The Samajwadi Party chief posted a message in Hindi saying, "We are not the ones who abandon each other in times of difficulty," and shared a picture featuring West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, which won 108 seats in its electoral debut but still fell short of the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly. TVK is now attempting to secure support from smaller allies of the DMK-led bloc.

The developments are significant because the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are expected to become a major test for opposition unity against the BJP. The court is not involved in this matter, but negotiations continue in Chennai, with meetings of the CPI(M) and CPI underway to decide their next move. The leaders of both parties are expected to meet the VCK leadership later on Friday to discuss whether they should extend support to TVK in the government formation battle.