R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MAY 9
Tamil Nadu’s high-voltage post-election political thriller entered another dramatic chapter on Saturday as the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi postponed its crucial decision on extending support to actor-politician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government formation bid until 4 PM, triggering intense speculation and political suspense across the state.
- All eyes on Thirumavalavan’s 4 PM announcement amid mounting suspense over TVK government formation
- AIADMK MLAs rush back from Puducherry resort as political camps scramble to prevent defections
- PMK founder Ramadoss openly backs Vijay, urges Governor to immediately invite TVK to form government
- DMK attacks TVK’s strategy while S Gurumurthy claims ‘rookie political mistakes’ complicated Vijay’s bid
The delay has assumed enormous significance because Vijay’s race to the magic figure of 118 MLAs now hinges on support from smaller parties and fence-sitters after repeated rounds of discussions with Governor R V Arlekar failed to produce a breakthrough.
Hundreds of VCK and TVK cadres gathered outside the VCK headquarters in Ashok Nagar from early morning amid expectations that party chief Thol Thirumavalavan would announce his stand by 11 AM. However, the party leadership asked media crews to disperse, stating that an official announcement would instead be made at 4 PM.
The postponement has further intensified the atmosphere of uncertainty in Tamil Nadu’s rapidly shifting political landscape, where alliance equations and legislative loyalties are changing by the hour.
In another dramatic development, more than 30 MLAs of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam returned to Chennai after a three-day stay at a luxury resort in Puducherry and immediately met party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Political circles were abuzz with speculation that the legislators had been shifted to the resort to prevent possible defections or cross-voting at a time when the TVK camp is aggressively attempting to shore up numbers to form the next government after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly polls.
Sources indicated that Palaniswami is expected to chair a key AIADMK legislators’ meeting to chalk out the party’s strategy amid the deepening government formation crisis.
Meanwhile, S Ramadoss dramatically escalated the pressure on Raj Bhavan by openly urging the Governor to immediately invite Vijay to form the government, arguing that the people’s mandate should be respected without delay.
Calling the current political situation “extraordinary,” the PMK founder said parties such as Congress and Left formations had already signalled support to TVK and appealed directly to Thirumavalavan to extend backing to Vijay in the interest of Tamil Nadu’s welfare.
Ramadoss said that if VCK extends support, the Governor should immediately administer the oath of office to Vijay as Chief Minister.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, however, launched a sharp attack on Vijay’s approach, accusing the TVK chief of mishandling the government formation process.
Senior DMK leader T K S Elangovan said Vijay should first secure support from political parties before approaching the Governor, insisting that the TVK had prematurely escalated the issue without confirming adequate legislative backing.
Adding another twist to the unfolding drama, political commentator S Gurumurthy claimed Vijay’s advisors committed a “rookie mistake” by projecting the TVK as leading a coalition government instead of asserting its position as the single-largest party.
According to Gurumurthy, the strategy shifted the constitutional narrative from a single-party claim to a coalition claim, thereby complicating the Governor’s decision-making process.
Vijay, who met Governor Arlekar for the third consecutive day on Friday, is understood to have again staked claim to form the government. However, Raj Bhavan sources maintained that TVK had still not conclusively demonstrated the support of 118 MLAs required for a majority in the Assembly.
Complicating matters further, parties such as the Indian Union Muslim League and the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam have reportedly indicated reluctance to support the TVK government formation effort.
