DMK backs TVK's claim, says single-largest party should form govt

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai urged the Governor to invite actor Vijay's TVK, the single-largest party with 108 seats, to form the government. Congress has extended support, but the AIADMK has ruled out any alliance with the TVK.

DMK makes case for TVK to form government

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai on Thursday said that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), being the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, should be given the first opportunity to form the government in the state.

Speaking to ANI here, Annadurai said constitutional convention and democratic principle favour inviting the single-largest party when no pre-poll alliance secures a majority. "If there are no pre-poll alliances which would have garnered the majority, then he should go with the single largest party. If the single largest party is not able to garner the majority, then it should go towards the electoral polls with whomever they want. And, if there are going to be any post-poll alliances, then that also will come in fourth place," he said.

Referring to the current political situation in Tamil Nadu, the DMK leader said no alliance had secured a clear majority and no other formation had staked a claim to form the government. "Now, in the state of Tamil Nadu, no pre-poll alliance has the majority. Nobody else has staked a claim to form the government. But the single largest party, Mr Vijay's TVK, has staked a claim to form the government and met the governor. And they have given the support of 113 MLAs," he said.

TVK stakes claim with Congress support

Meanwhile, Vijay arrived at the Lok Bhavan to meet Tamil Nadu governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in Chennai. TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, winning 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly in its electoral debut.

The Congress party has formally extended support to TVK, ending its alliance with the DMK to back Vijay's bid to form the next government. Senior advocate and Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi also backed TVK's claim, saying the Governor had "no alternative" but to invite the single-largest party to form the government. "The shortage is barely 7-8 seats, plus the Governor will always be stipulating that the floor of the house will prove the majority in 10-12 days," Singhvi said.

TVK's performance significantly altered Tamil Nadu's political landscape, reducing the DMK to 59 seats and the AIADMK to 47 seats, effectively ending the decades-long dominance of the two Dravidian parties.

AIADMK rules out support

However, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has ruled out support to TVK. AIADMK Deputy Coordinator KP Munusamy said the party would not support Vijay "whatever the situation is."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)