While TVK chief Vijay and senior party leaders approached the DMK’s allies (the Communist Party of India, the CPI(M) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which have two seats each), DMK president MK Stalin was also learned to have broached with these three parties the idea of backing an AIADMK-led government. It is now clear that the three parties hold the key to any further change in Tamil Nadu politics.
Currently, the TVK, with the support of the five elected Congress candidates, effectively has 112 seats in the 234-member House after taking into account Vijay’s legal mandate to give up one of his two seats.
Mr. Stalin, the outgoing Chief Minister, invited CPI(M) State Secretary P. Shanmugam, CPI State Secretary M. Veerapandian and VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan to his house to talk. The DMK will not join the government, but allies are free to take the decision to join the government, he told them.
As the two communist parties bid for time, stating that the state committee meetings scheduled for Friday would take a final decision, Mr. Thirumavalavan indicated that he would follow the communists’ stand.