TVK protests in Chennai as Governor asks Vijay to prove majority

TVK supporters protested in Chennai after Governor Arlekar demanded Vijay prove his majority to form a government. With 112 MLAs, the party is six short of the 118 mark and is now seeking support from CPI and VCK to stake its claim.

A day after the Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar insisted that TVK must prove majority, despite the party emerging as the single-largest in the Assembly elections, TVK supporters on Friday staged a protest outside the Lok Bhavan in Chennai. TVK worker Suresh said, "If Vijay is not given the opportunity to become Chief Minister, further protests will be held in the future."

Police later removed the workers from the spot who were demanding that the Governor invite Vijay to form a government in Tamil Nadu. Vijay's TVK has been working to garner support from other parties to form a government in Tamil Nadu since the Tamil Nadu assembly election results delivered a fractured mandate. With the support of five Congress MLAs, the alliance stands at 112, still six short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member assembly.

AIADMK Hits Out at TVK

Meanwhile, AIADMK National Spokesperson Kovai Sathyan hit out at TVK over its claims of being the single largest party and criticised its alliance with Congress. "TVK is the one that gave a confession, claiming that we are the single largest party with 108 seats, and we have the support of 5 more. So, the Governor is duty-bound to ask, 'Where are the other 5?" Sathyan said on Friday.

Governor Demands Proof of Majority

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday invited TVK's Vijay to Lok Bhavan, and explained that the requisite majority support in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, essential for forming the Government, has not been established. According to sources, the Governor sought clarity on the "magic number" required for government formation and asked Vijay to furnish details of legislators backing TVK's claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Arlekar's not calling Vijay to form the government has drawn fiery remarks and allegations from its leaders. Many have alleged that Arlekar is acting on the BJP's whims to stall the due procedure and undermine the Constitution.

TVK Seeks Support from Other Parties

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 government in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking with the media, Nirmal Kumar said that the VCK and CPI will both hold internal meetings on extending support to TVK and will provide the answer afterwards. Both CPI and VCK won two seats each in the elections. (ANI)

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