Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 9: Putting an end to the suspense over government formation in Tamil Nadu, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) on Saturday declared unconditional support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) clearing the deck for the actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay to be sworn-in as the chief minister, the first outside the Dravidian giants of the DMK and AIADMK in over six decades.
Armed with the letters of all his supporters that helped him achieve the magic figure of 118 in the 234-member State Assembly, Vijay called on the Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday evening to stake his final claim to form a ministry. Sources said Mr Arlekar had earlier postponed his scheduled visit to Kerala on hearing about Vijay having secured the majority support was heading for Lok Bhavan.
Vijay’s TVK has received the backing of the VCK and the IUML, along with that of Congress and Left parties, to get a simple majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national president K.M. Kader Mohideen on Saturday extended unconditional support to the TVK to form the government in Tamil Nadu.
In identically worded letters, similar to those sent by the left parties and addressed to the Governor, Mr Thirumavalavan and Mr Mohideen said their respective parties extended unconditional support to the TVK, under the leadership of party president C. Joseph Vijay, to form the government. Both parties have two MLAs-elect each. They contested as a part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.
”We have extended our support to ensure that the VCK does not become an obstacle to Mr Vijay’s TVK — which has secured 108 seats — forming the government, and to prevent the imposition of President’s Rule in Tamil Nadu,” Mr Thirumavalavan said, adding: “Our alliance within the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance will continue. As a political party, we have taken this decision by exercising our independent right. This will not affect our relationship with the DMK.”
The letter of support from the IUML came as a surprise, as M Mohideen had earlier insisted that his party would remain firmly with the DMK-led alliance and had refused to issue any letter backing the TVK.
With the backing of the VCK and the IUML, the TVK now has the support of 120 MLAs-elect, (as Mr Vijay contested from two seats), two more than the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member House. The TVK, which won 108 seats, had already secured the support of five Congress MLAs-elect and two each from the CPI and the CPI(M).
TVK leader Adhav Arujuna told reporters that the VCK has extended support to his party. VCK leader Vanni Arasu, also the legislature party leader has addressed a letter to Governor Arlekar declaring support to TVK. “Victory” said Arujuna and thanked the Congress, Left parties and the VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan MP for supporting his party and expressed confidence that TVK founder-chief Vijay would become the Chief Minister. VCK sources said the party, as of now, would extend outside support to Vijay in his bid to form TVK’s maiden government.
Vijay, who has won from two segments, has to resign from one of them, bringing down the party’s strength to 107. The number of MLAs from parties supporting the TVK– Congress (5) and the CPI, CPI (M) and VCK with two MLAs each, stands at 11.
The DMK chief and outgoing chief minister MK Stalin congratulated Vijay for getting the majority for the government formation and said, “In a situation where no one secured the majority to form a government, many put forward alternative ideas. As far as I am concerned, whatever decision our allied parties take, I believed that we should respect their decision, act in coordination, ensure a stable government is formed, and not pave the way for another election,” he said.
“My heartfelt respects to the loving comrades of my leader and soulmate Kalaignar, who is intertwined with my life, and to my soul-breathing Tamil people. After the election results were announced, we are witnessing the events that are unfolding. The assembly election results had turned out in a manner where no party secured the majority needed to form a government. Even though the secular progressive alliance, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, did not obtain the majority seats required to form a government, we have garnered a significant number of votes.”
He said, “In the interview I had already given to the press, I had stated that we would not obstruct the formation of a new government and that the DMK would function as a constructive opposition party. Thereafter, in the meeting of assembly members held under my leadership, they entrusted me with the responsibility of decision-making. In that meeting, I had conveyed that “keeping the interests of the party in mind, I would consult with the headquarters administrators and arrive at a decision.”
Despite his party’s decision to extend unconditional support to the TVK, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan has said the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is still a part of the DMK-led alliance. Speaking at a press conference in Chennai, he said his party decided to back Vijay only after considering the long term vision into account. He said his party decided to back Vijay’s TVK to prevent President’s rule in the state. He said a political crisis in Tamil Nadu should not become cause for imposing President’s rule.
Mr Stalin welcomed its allies VCK and Left parties’ decision to back Vijay to avoid the government crisis. “I welcome the announcement by our alliance comrades that “to avoid the current crisis, even if we express support for the Tamil Nadu Victory Federation to form the government, we continue in the DMK-led secular progressive alliance on the basis of policy,” he said in an online post.
Drawing a comparison among its allies, he praised the VCK and Left for their “sense of camaraderie” but said the winning Congress MLAs severed ties with the DMK without communication. It had earlier called the Congress move to dump the DMK and tie up with the TVK “backstabbing.”