CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Ending days of deadlock, which led to furious efforts to stop C Joseph Vijay from becoming the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the Left parties have stepped in to extend support to the TVK’s claim to form the next government, on Friday.
Vijay’s TVK, which has 107 seats on its own (minus Vijay’s second seat) and the support of Congress’s 5, has now received the backing of CPM and CPI – both with 2 seats each – adding up to 116 seats in the 234-member house.
The CPI on Friday handed over its letter of support to TVK leader CTR Nirmal Kumar, while the CPM is expected to issue its letter shortly, DT Next has learnt.
Meanwhile, while earlier reports indicated VCK too had backed the TVK's claim to form government, a formal letter of support is still awaited.
Sources said Vijay and leaders of alliance partners will meet Governor RA Arlekar at Lok Bhavan in the evening to hand over the “proof of support” that he had demanded to invite Vijay to form the next government.
Addressing reporters in New Delhi a little while before, CPM general secretary MA Baby had said that the CPI, CPM and VCK had decided to help the single largest party establish majority support before the Governor. He also said the Governor should invite the single largest party to form the government and prove its majority on the Assembly floor.
Baby said CPI general secretary D Raja, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, and himself had held discussions and advised their respective State units in Tamil Nadu to take suitable steps to help the single largest party establish its “possible majority” before the Governor. “The Governor will have no option but to invite the leader of the single largest party to form the government,” he had said.
Baby described it as “unfortunate” that Governor Arlekar had not followed the convention adopted in several States and at the Centre of inviting the single largest party to form the government and prove its majority on the floor of the House.
On speculation surrounding the possible imposition of President’s Rule in Tamil Nadu, Baby said there were “various discussions and rumours” but declined to elaborate further. “The wishes of the people of Tamil Nadu should prevail and a government should be formed. The rest of the issues can be discussed later,” he said.