(Image source from: PTI)
Game, set, and match for Vijay? On Friday night, after four hectic days, crowds near the actor's home in Chennai started chanting 'TVK, TVK.' This came after reports mentioned he had finally obtained the few seats necessary to ensure he will be the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Vijay is set to meet Governor RV Arlekar this evening, probably at 6 pm, to assert his claim. Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, achieved remarkable success in last month's election, winning 108 out of 234 seats in its first attempt, breaking the 62-year dominance of the Dravidian parties DMK and AIADMK in state governance. However, the excitement from that victory faded quickly when Governor RV Arlekar stated he would not permit the TVK leader to establish a government without verification of majority support. After two discussions in two days—Wednesday and Thursday—Arlekar remained firm. He informed Vijay on Thursday that he could not manage a government with 113 MLAs when the majority needed is 118. Arlekar insisted Vijay must present letters of support from enough elected MLAs. Yet, Vijay only had 108 from the TVK, falling short of at least 10 additional seats.
The Congress party separated from its partners Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to provide five seats, on the condition that Vijay and TVK do not join forces with 'communal parties'—a reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party associated with the AIADMK. The split between DMK and Congress—after three election victories in seven years—added a layer of tension to this situation, with both parties accusing each other of treachery. The TVK also began discussions with Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Communist Party of India. By Friday afternoon, after two rounds of discussions, sources indicated that all three parties had agreed to support Vijay, a decision confirmed by letters of support from TVK's Deputy General Secretary CT Nirmal Kumar. All three parties were former allies of the DMK and had been negotiating with MK Stalin's party about alternative paths to power, including the option of staying with him and forming what many criticized as an 'unholy alliance' by teaming up with their old opponents, the AIADMK.
And they have just the amount he requires - two each amounting to a total of six. Additionally, Vijay also has the backing of one of the two MLA-elects from the Indian Union Muslim League (although this is yet to be confirmed) and the only MLA-elect from TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam. He currently holds 121 seats. It was reported that VCK, CPM, and CPI will receive one cabinet position each in the new government. The Congress party is anticipating two positions for its support. The confusion over the last four days included rumors about a partnership between the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, two parties with a common ideology - the social justice initiative started by EV 'Periyar' Ramasamy - yet they are typically strong opponents. Political analysts indicated that the two major Dravidian parties were influenced by similar anxieties.
For the DMK, this evoked memories of the years 1977-87 when MG Ramachandran prevented it from winning any elections until his passing. For the AIADMK, the worry is more recent; some members highlighted the last ten years in which the party lost three elections in a row to MK Stalin. Yet, this so-called 'unholy' alliance never came to fruition. In reality, it never progressed beyond mere speculation, with high-ranking officials from both sides telling NDTV that it could not survive due to strong opposition from ideologues within both groups.
