It has been two days since the results of the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu were announced. The clock is ticking in the southern state, where despite a big debut, Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) failed to cross the majority mark of 118.
There is high speculation about the party’s next steps, with the opposition Congress, DMK and AIADMK’s recent statements adding to the alliance buzz.
A summary of what is happening in Tamil Nadu before the formation of the government:
TVK’s letter to Congress: The buzz around a possible post-poll alliance intensified in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday as Congress state in-charge Girish Chodankar confirmed that the party had received a letter from TVK. A day ago, Congress MP KC Venugopal also said that Vijay’s party has reached out for support. Follow live updates on Tamil Nadu government formation here.
Does AIADMK also support TVK? With the Congress-TVK alliance awaiting confirmation, the opposition AIADMK has also been brought into the mix, with party spokesperson’s remarks creating buzz about another alliance. “The majority decision will be taken by the high command. If it has to make the dream a reality, it has to come from Mr Vijay’s side,” spokesman Kovai Sathian said when asked if the AIADMK would ally with TVK.
More joining TVK soon? The possible decision to form an alliance with Vijay’s party may not be taken unanimously within the AIADMK. DMK spokesperson Kanimozhi NVN Somo told the news agency that I That around 22 AIADMK legislators may break away from the party and join TVK. “I will not be surprised if the AIADMK makes an unconditional offer to TVK to form the government,” she said.
TVK’s top leader meets EPS: The AIADMK buzz intensified further, as TVK general secretary N Anand on Wednesday met AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), reported ANI. The report added that Vijay may ditch the Congress in favor of the AIADMK which has much larger seats. If AIADMK collectively joins hands with TVK, the numbers will be enough to cross the 118 mark.
Where do the numbers stand? The TVK put up a stunning show in the recently concluded Assembly elections, winning 108 seats, with the ruling DMK managing to bag only 59 seats, followed by the AIADMK on 47 seats and the Congress on five seats. The need for an alliance arose because there was no party that enjoyed an absolute majority. TVK has about 10 legislators short of the target of 118.
Read also: Is TVK-Congress alliance enough to form government in Tamil Nadu? Mathematics explained
DMK digs ‘backstabbing’ in Congress: Hours after the Congress said that TVK had reached out and hinted at support for the Vijay-led party, its ally DMK fumed, calling the Congress a “backstabber”. In an interview with NDTV, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said the Congress managed to win five seats on the back of the DMK or it would have come out empty.
Tamil Nadu state takes oath tomorrow: While there is no confirmation on this, reports say that the swearing-in of the new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister could take place on Thursday, May 7. Vijay is also expected to meet Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlikar as part of the government formation process today.
What seat will Vijay leave? As per Election Commission rules, Vijay has to vacate one of the two seats he won – Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East. According to a PTI report, Vijay may leave the Tiruchirappalli East seat, which will bring down TVK’s tally to 107.
