'To prevent...': Why VCK extended support Vijay's TVK

VCK's Thol Thirumavalavan has announced his party's support for Vijay's TVK in Tamil Nadu, a move designed to prevent President's rule and ensure the people's mandate is respected.

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Saturday announced his party's decision to support Vijay's TVK in government formation to prevent President's rule in Tamil Nadu and also ensure people's mandate for TVK was fulfilled.

Political Uncertainty and Government Formation

Due to the prevailing uncertainty in government formation, especially with the TVK lacking the simple majority to form the government on its own, and no other political party anywhere close to the magic number of 118 seats, it was necessary to support the TVK in its efforts to form the government, Thirumavalavan said. 

Barely hours after handing over the support letter to TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder said his party's decision, as he had mentioned earlier, was in sync with the decision of the Left parties.

Impact on DMK Alliance

"Our ties with the DMK will not get affected due to our stand, but it will help Vijay to form the government and also prevent the President's rule in the state," Thirumavalavan said at a crowded press conference.

He added that he continued in DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.

His party's stance was already conveyed to DMK chief M K Stalin, who had agreed to the unanimous decision of the VCK and the Left parties, he said.

Strategic Political Considerations

"We exercised our freedom as a political party and also took into account the long-term vision of the state and extended the unconditional support to TVK," the VCK leader said.

Considering the present political crisis, the Left parties and the VCK held separate discussions with their parties about a long-term political perspective and future political considerations and arrived at a consensus to extend unconditional support to Vijay's party. Accordingly, the respective parties provided the letters of support to TVK, he added.

"This decision has been made because VCK should not become an obstacle to Vijay in forming the government," the Dalit- based party leader said.

Thirumavalavan said he had requested Vijay that a meeting between them take place after the swearing-in ceremony.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian, who was present on the occasion, said the Governor should uphold the rules and help install the TVK government soon.

"The Governor should uphold the Constitution, respect the people's verdict and act as per law," he said.

TVK's Path to Majority

Shortly after VCK's decision to back Vijay, another DMK ally, the IUML also extended support to TVK. Both IUML and VCK have two MLAs each.

With the two small parties' support, the numbers in favour of TVK rose to 120, including 5 from the Congress, just two more than the simple majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. Both CPI and CPI (M) won two seats each respectively, while the TVK on its own secured 108 seats in the Assembly elections held on April 23. The results were declared on May 4.

Vijay, who has won from two segments, has to resign from one of them, which brings down the party's strength to 107.