Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Thursday intensified efforts to form the government in Tamil Nadu, with party leader CTR Nirmal Kumar meeting CPI and CPI(M) leaders to seek their support.
The TVK joint general secretary personally visited the offices of CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam in Chennai and handed over letters from party founder Vijay requesting their backing.
The Vijay-led TVK emerged as the single largest party in the recently concluded Assembly elections but fell short of a simple majority in the 234-member House. The party secured 108 seats and requires 10 more to form the government. The Congress, which won five seats, has already extended support to TVK.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Veerapandian, Kumar said Vijay had consistently maintained that alliance partners should have a share in governance and power. “Only then can parties implement their respective ideologies and policies,” he said, adding that TVK was “under no pressure at the moment.”
He said TVK had already sent letters seeking support to the Left parties, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and had formally handed over Vijay’s request to them.
“The parties have sought time to respond to our request,” Kumar said, while expressing confidence that TVK would eventually form the government.
When asked whether TVK had approached the NDA for support, Kumar replied, “We have not asked and don’t intend to.”
He further said that under constitutional norms, the Governor should invite the single largest party to form the government.
“The people have voted for TVK, and he must certainly invite us. We have already staked our claim to form the government, and we will wait for a day,” he said.
Kumar also asserted that the people’s mandate was in favour of TVK and that Vijay should become the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
With PTI inputs