All 107 MLAs of Vijay's TVK May Resign If DMK Or AIADMK Stakes Claim To Form Govt In Tamil Nadu: Report

Chennai: The political turmoil in Tamil Nadu is expected to intensify as there are reports that all newly-elected MLAs of actor-turned-politician Vijay Thalapathy's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) will resign if MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) or Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) stakes claim to form government in the state.

This comes after Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar rejected Vijay's bid to form the government for the second time on Thursday.

Can Vijay Achieve The Majority Mark?

TVK swept the recently-concluded Tamil Nadu elections, winning 108 seats out of the 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. As Vijay won from two seats (Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East), the actual number of seats in TVK's hand totals to 107 as of now.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the elections, however, it is short of the majority mark of 118.

In a crucial boost to Vijay’s numbers, the Congress has extended support to TVK, ending its alliance with DMK. With the alliance of five MLAs of Congress, Vijay has the support of 112 MLAs, still short of 6 MLAs.

Further, MNM, IUML, VCK and the CPI have shown their rare support to the TVK. These parties won the following number of seats in the elections:

MNM- 0 seat

IUML- 2 seats

VCK- 2 seats

CPI- 2 seats

Hence, if Vijay allies with these parties, he would get the support of six MLAs in total, the exact additional number that he needs to prove majority.

Kamal Hassan, who heads the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), said, “The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Mr Vijay, has won 108 seats. Not inviting him to form the government would amount to disrespecting the mandate of the people of Tamil Nadu. 233 elected members are still unable to take their oaths. This is an insult to the state; it is damage to democracy."

Is DMK-AIADMK Alliance Possible?

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) are long-standing rivals, with a history of bitterness between them. However, rumours of an alliance between them started swirling in the state after Vijay failed to prove a majority.

There have been rumours that the two parties might collude to form a government in the state.

If DMK and AIADMK forms an alliance, they could challenge TVK's prospect to form the government. While DMK won 59 seats, AIADMK won 47 seats in the recently-concluded elections. If the two parties tie-up, they will together have 106 MLAs.

Since the majority mark is 118 seat, DMK and AIADMK would need to ally with smaller parties to gain 12 more MLAs. If they achieve this number, they could easily form a government in Tamil Nadu, crushing Vijay's plan for the same.

30 AIADMK MLAs To Defect To TVK?

There are reports that 30 out of the 47 newly-elected AIADMK MLAs are likely to defect to support TVK. Several AIADMK MLAs had gathered at Rajya Sabha MP CV Shanmugam’s office in Chennai on Wednesday, signalling support for initiating talks with TVK.

During the meeting, AIADMK leaders discussed whether the party should ally with TVK. Sources indicated resistance from AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is reportedly not in favour of an immediate alliance.

Following this resistance, reports of defection of 30 AIADMK MLAs swirled in Tamil Nadu.

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) “The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Mr Vijay, has won 108 seats. Not inviting him to form the government would amount to disrespecting the mandate of the people of Tamil Nadu. 233 elected members are still unable to take their oaths. This is an insult to the state; it is damage to democracy."

Also Read- 'Disrespecting People's Mandate': DMK, VCK Show Rare Support To Vijay As Governor Remains Unconvinced