Chennai, May 5 (IANS) Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan on Tuesday said that no decision has been taken on extending support to the actor-led Viijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), as Tamil Nadu witnessed a fractured mandate in the Assembly elections.
The elections, held in a single phase on April 23, saw actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK surging ahead of both the DMK and the AIADMK and eventually secured 108 seats, emerging as the single largest party in the 234-member Assembly.
However, the party fell short of the majority mark of 118, leaving the formation of the next government dependent on post-poll alliances.
Despite the shortfall, the party has staked a claim to form the government before Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, citing the party’s position as the largest formation.
The party is understood to have sought two weeks time to prove its majority in the house.
With 12 additional seats required to reach the halfway mark, political attention has shifted to potential support from other parties. The Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its Left allies, as well as sections within the AIADMK-led alliance and the PMK, are seen as key players in the evolving scenario. However, no formal outreach has yet been made by the TVK to other parties for alliance discussions.
Leaders across political formations have indicated that any decision on support would follow internal deliberations.
The Communist parties — the CPI-M and the CPI — have said they would hold discussions before taking a collective stand. The Congress is also understood to be assessing its options in light of the fractured verdict.
Addressing a press conference, Thirumavalavan said the VCK would take decisions in consultation with its allies. “We have not taken any decision on supporting the TVK. We will discuss and decide along with the Communist parties. Let us wait and see,” he said.
He added that the alliance’s efforts to counter the “communal politics” of the AIADMK-BJP combine had succeeded, indicating that broader consultations would determine the next course of action in the state.
–IANS
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