Chennai: Amid the ongoing uncertainty on government formation in Tamil Nadu after the elections resulted in a hung assembly, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar here Thursday, their second meeting in two days, and requested him to invite his party to form the government.
According to a statement by the Lok Bhavan, the governor had invited Vijay for the meeting.
“During the meeting, the Hon’ble Governor explained that the requisite majority support in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, essential for forming the government, has not been established,” said the statement.
Sources said Vijay’s party has sought legal opinion on whether it can ask the governor to invite it as the single-largest party and then prove its majority on the Assembly floor.
In the letter submitted to the Governor on Wednesday, Vijay said he would head a coalition government, but submitted the names of 112 MLAs, six short of the majority mark. The governor had asked him to return with proof of majority support yesterday as well.
In the 234-member assembly, the TVK has emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats after the election results were declared on 4 May. The Congress—which has won five seats—has confirmed post-poll support to the TVK, taking the total number to 113.
Since Vijay contested and won two constituencies, he will have to relinquish one, which will make the TVK-Congress effective tally to 112, still six short of the magic figure of 118.
Amid the uncertainty, the oath-taking ceremony, which was likely scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed as left parties and VCK have not yet decided on their support to the TVK.
Meanwhile, police security provided to Vijay after the poll results was withdrawn Wednesday night, and several MLAs are currently staying at a private resort in Mamallapuram.
Also Read: Don’t dismiss Vijay’s victory as irrational. It’s Tamil people’s emotional investment
‘DMK won’t disturb TVK for 6 months’
DMK leader M K Stalin said Wednesday that Vijay should be allowed to form the government and that the DMK would not disturb it for six months.
Adding to this on Thursday, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai told ANI that the TVK, as the single-largest party, should be given the first opportunity to form the government.
He said constitutional convention and democratic principles favour inviting the single-largest party when no pre-poll alliance has secured a majority.
“No pre-poll alliance has the majority. Nobody else has staked a claim to form the government. But the single largest party, Vijay’s TVK, has staked a claim, and they have given the support of 113 MLAs,” Annadurai said.
Meanwhile, the Congress and the DMK criticised the governor’s insistence on Vijay’s TVK coming with full majority to stake claim to form government, saying the new government has to prove majority in the assembly not before the governor.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leader K. Selvaperuthagai accused the BJP-led Union government of “using governors” against elected governments to interfere in state politics.
In a statement on X, he said the governor “delaying” the invite to the TVK to form the government is against the Constitution, and appears to be driven by ulterior motives.
He emphasised that the party claiming responsibility must prove its majority in the Legislative Assembly, not in the Raj Bhavan. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, he urged the governor to immediately invite TVK chief Vijay to form the government.
Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi added, “I must say with great regret that the Governor, who is to be the repository of constitutional wisdom, has no alternative but to call the single largest party in Tamil Nadu to form the government.
“There is no question about it. In fact, in law, in precedent, in tradition, in constitutional culture, in constitutional flavour, it has happened umpteen times in the past,” he told the media on Thursday.
DMK ally CPI has also urged the governor to invite the TVK to form the government and prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly. In a statement on Thursday, the party described insisting on proving majority before swearing-in as unconstitutional.
While the Congress has extended support to the TVK, other DMK allies, including the CPIM and the VCK, are yet to decide on supporting the TVK.
The TVK had also sent a letter to the CPI, requesting its support and a State Committee meeting will be held on Friday to make a decision on it.
Earlier, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said his party is yet to discuss its stance on supporting TVK. The left parties and VCK members also met M K Stalin on Thursday.
DMK ally and Makkal Needhi Maiyam leader Kamal Haasan supported Stalin’s stance of allowing Vijay to form the government.
“The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Vijay, has won 108 seats. Not inviting him to form the government would amount to disrespecting the mandate of the people of Tamil Nadu,” Kamal said in a post on X.
He added that 233 elected members are yet to take oath, and cited the S.R. Bommai case, noting that majority must be proven in the Legislative Assembly, not in Raj Bhavan.
Meanwhile, TVK party members remain hopeful of forming the government soon.
TVK Fisheries Wing District Secretary Ganeshan expressed confidence that the party would form the government under Vijay’s leadership. “We are extremely confident that TVK will form the government. Our leader Vijay will surely become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,” he told the media.
At DMK meeting, a swipe at Congress
The DMK Thursday passed key resolutions in a meeting with its elected MLAs, authorising party president Stalin to take all political decisions as the state grapples with post-poll developments.
The party, in a resolution, stressed that Tamil Nadu was not prepared for another election and emphasised the need for a stable government. It also warned that forces opposed to the principles of the Dravidian movement should not be allowed to gain space.
In another resolution, the party strongly condemned the Congress for moving away from the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA). “The party had failed to change its ‘old political character’,” the resolution stated. It noted that the Congress had secured one Rajya Sabha seat and 28 assembly seats as part of the DMK-led alliance and accused it of shifting towards an alternative front within days “by jeopardising the victory achieved through the hard work of alliance cadres”, the resolution stated.
The resolutions by DMK also thanked the people of Tamil Nadu and alliance partners, expressed gratitude to Stalin for his “decades of dedication to the party and Tamil Nadu,” and authorised him to handle political matters.
Meanwhile, TVK is actively seeking support from other parties to form the government. TVK Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar told ANI, “TVK had reached out to parties including Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India through emails as well as direct communication seeking their support. The parties would discuss the matter in their executive and general council meetings before announcing their decisions.”
He added that TVK leaders would personally meet them again to seek support. “People across Tamil Nadu want our leader Vijay to become the chief minister. That is why they voted for us in large numbers and given single majority. We expect the Governor to consider this and invite TVK to form the government. We believe the Governor will act according to the law. If not, we have to take the necessary steps to move forward.”
Nirmal Kumar also confirmed that TVK had extended its request for support to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) through letters and direct communication. He clarified that TVK had not approached NDA alliance parties for support and said the party had no such plans.
IUML president KM Kader Mohideen confirmed that TVK had approached them but added that they have not taken a decision on the matter.
The IUML had Wednesday stated that it had stayed with DMK in the past and will stay with DMK in the future too. “The decision should be made by Stalin. Whatever he decides, it is acceptable to us. We are asking him to make a decision and then tell us,” Mohideen told ANI.
Left parties are yet to make their decision on offering support to TVK which needs six more seats to prove majority. CPI State Secretary Veerapandian told the media on Thursday that Stalin knows how “we make decisions in such political situations and he has never interfered in our internal affairs”.
VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan told ANI that his party is yet to decide on offering support to TVK. “We will convene a meeting of our high-level committee tomorrow evening. We are currently awaiting the decision of the Left parties. Why? Because we have been working with the Left parties for the past ten years. So in this crisis, we have resolved to arrive at a decision jointly with the Left parties. That is why we are awaiting their decision.”
Thirumavalavan added, “Usually, the Governor is expected to invite the leader whose party has secured the highest number of seats in the assembly elections; however, in this instance, he is asking Vijay to demonstrate the requisite majority of 118 seats needed to form the government. This is not fair. The TVK president has secured the support of the Congress. It is solely because of this development that the BJP and the central government are interfering in this matter, exerting pressure on him. On behalf of the VCK party, we request the Governor to extend an invitation to him to form the government.”
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also read: Engineer, political consultant, giant slayer—how faces new & old powered TVK’s blockbuster debut