According to the AIADMK sources, the party has decided to extend outside support to Vijay-led TVK to form government in Tamil Nadu. Senior AIADMK leaders CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani are said to have played a key role in this decision.
This came after reports of a growing internal divide within AIADMK, with a significant number of its 47 MLAs urging the party leadership to back TVK.
Due to contention over this, an important meeting of AIADMK legislators was also postponed.
Sources also indicated that a subtle warning was conveyed to Edappadi Palaniswami to clear his stance promptly, or more than 30 MLAs could potentially split from the party and offer their support to Vijay.
Vijay seeks support to form government
Vijay was on Tuesday unanimously chosen as the legislature party leader of TVK following the party’s strong performance in the Assembly elections, where it secured 108 seats out of a total of 234.
Despite the party’s impressive show, it is still short of the majority mark by 10 seats.
In an effort to gather the required support, Vijay reached out to key political leaders. He wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, seeking their backing.
Meanwhile, the four newly elected MLAs of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) also met Vijay at his residence in Chennai, indicating possible developments in post-election alliances.
Vijay is expected to formally stake his claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu later today.
Congress extends conditional support to Vijay
The Congress Party has decided to extend support to TVK to form the government in Tamil Nadu. However, the backing came with certain conditions.
“The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) has decided to extend its full support to the TVK to form the government. Our support shall be conditional upon the TVK keeping out from this alliance any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India,” the statement read.
ALSO READ: Congress announces support to Vijay's TVK to form government in Tamil Nadu, lays out conditions
