Denying TVK Opportunity to Prove Majority in Tamil Nadu Assembly Is Wrong: DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that the Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar should allow Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form a government and prove the majority on the floor of the House and the decision to ascertain majority in Raj Bhavan is not correct.

Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, he expressed disapproval of the Governor's actions so far and affirmed that the "sentiments of people" must be respected. He said that the next option should be explored, only after the majority is not proven.

"The Governor must allow government formation. In Karnataka, the Governor had permitted Yediyurappa to do so. Parties that won more seats have previously been allowed to form governments. Presidents Narayanan and Abdul Kalam also acted in this manner. Vajpayee, too, was similarly permitted to form a government and prove his majority on the floor of the house. Denying that opportunity to TVK now is wrong," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

"First, the opportunity to prove the majority must be given. The sentiments of a state's people must be respected. This is democracy. A majority can be won or lost by a single vote -- did that not happen with Vajpayee? If the majority is not proven, the next option can be explored," he added.

His remarks come after Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, earlier today, said that TVK has so far not established majority support to form the government.

"Thiru Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Tamil Nadu, has invited Thiru C. Joseph Vijay. President, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, today to Lok Bhavan, Chennai. During the meeting, the Governor explained that the requisite majority support in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, essential for forming the Government, has not been established," a release said.

TVK, which won 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, has the support of five Congress MLAs.

TVK Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar, accompanied by party leaders, met with the Communist Party of India leaders at the CPI office in Chennai on Thursday, to garner the support for making goverment in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking with the media, Nirmal Kumar said that the VCK and CPI will both hold internal meetings over extending support to TVK and will provide the answer afterwards.

Earlier, CPI leader Veerapandiyan confirmed that Vijay had written to the Communist Party of India seeking support to form a "progressive government." He added that an emergency state executive committee meeting has been called on Friday to discuss the matter and take a final decision on extending support.

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