The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Wednesday said there was “momentum” in talks with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), adding that party chief Vijay would have to take a call on the issue as efforts to form a government in Tamil Nadu intensify.
Speculation has been rife in political circles since Wednesday morning that the TVK, which needs 10 more seats to reach the majority mark, could explore an alliance with the Congress. The uproar comes in the wake of Congress general secretary KC Venugopal’s remarks on May 5 in Delhi in which he said that Vijay had sought his party’s support to form the government and that the leadership had asked the state unit to take a final decision.
Actor-politician Vijay-led TVK won 108 of the 234 Assembly seats, just short of the 118 seats required for a majority. The party needs support either from smaller parties or from a major player like the AIADMK to prove its strength on the floor of the House.
“So, there is momentum happening. So, the ball is in Mr. Vijay’s court. He has to make a conscious decision whether he wants to complete the five-year term or he wants to try to do some exercises to gain his trust from many parties. So it is up to him. The ball is in Mr. Vijay’s court,” AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan told reporters.
In a parallel development, TVK leaders, including general secretary N Anand and general secretary (campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna, reportedly met AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami at his residence in Chennai on Wednesday, raising further speculation about a possible tie-up.
When asked if the AIADMK had initiated talks or responded to TVK’s approach, Satyan said: “There is some momentum happening. The governor has asked for more clarity on the number of MLAs. We will wait for that. What the governor’s office says is final. There are some developments happening from the governor’s office as well.”
He also denied any internal differences within the AIADMK over the possible alliance. He added, “There is certainly no difference of opinion, and the decision of the High Command is final. The High Command will receive a call soon.”
On May 5, newly elected AIADMK MLA Leema Rose from Lalgudi in Tiruchirappalli confirmed that discussions were underway. “Yes. Talks between AIADMK and TVK are continuing. I hope it will end on a positive note,” she said.
The AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance contested the Assembly elections held on April 23 in Tamil Nadu. Throughout his campaign, Vijay targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling it the “ideological enemy” of TVK, while calling the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) his “political enemy”.
If the AIADMK-TVK alliance materialises, it could raise questions about the future of AIADMK’s ties with the BJP, adding a new dimension to the evolving political landscape in the state.
