A Slip Between the Cup and the Lip for Vijay

Chennai:It appeared to be a slip between the cup and the lip for Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay in his latest bid to form government in Tamil Nadu after his party finished ahead in the Assembly elections, winning 108 of the 234 seats. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, after initially agreeing to swear him in as Chief Minister on Friday, withdrew it, declaring that he had not managed to garner the support of the requisite 118 members.

After a series of hectic discussions and deliberations at various political camps, it was said that Vijay had the support of the CPI, CPM and the IUML and that he would be sworn in as Chief Minister at 11 am on Saturday. But, with the Governor withdrawing his invitation, that is unlikely to happen, at the time of going to print at 12 midnight.

On a day of thrilling ups and downs, Vijay’s tally stood tantalisingly short of the majority mark until the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) of Thol. Thirumavalavan emailed a letter of support of its two MLAs late at night. Even there, doubts cropped up as one MLA was said to be opposing the support to Vijay. Lok Bhavan was yet to decide late on Friday night whether the numbers were right and that Vijay could hope to become Chief Minister.

Earlier, supporters of Vijay and TVK cadre broke in high-pitched celebrations at various venues, including the TVK headquarters at Pannaiyur, in the evening, as it was believed that the impasse that prevented the appointment of Vijay due to the shortage of numbers in the past four days had come to an end and the Governor accepting the claim to form the government.

The announcement of support to TVK by the state secretaries of the CPI, M Veerapandian, and CPM, P. Shanmugham, jointly in the evening first gave some relief to the beleaguered TVK leaders – it guaranteed the backing of four more MLAs — though they were still waiting for the decision of the VCK that was deliberating on the issue seriously with some leaders not favouring support to TVK.

Just as the question mark over VCK’s support lingered, a surprise came from the Indian Union Muslim League, which had firmly told a couple of days back that it would stand with the DMK. It announced its support to Vijay’s move at government formation and cited DMK president M.K. Stalin’s call for allowing Vijay to assume power as the reason behind its decision.

Vijay and his party associates, who were waiting for that moment, rushed to Lok Bhavan and met Arlekar, who, it was told, was preparing to leave for Kerala. After the Governor approved of the list of over 118 MLAs, produced by Vijay as his supporters – TVK’s 108, Congress five, and two each of the IUML, CPM and CPI, totalling six,– the decision to hold the swearing in on Saturday was taken.

It was speculated that the government to be sworn-in would be a coalition ministry with Congress and IUML representatives present in it as the Communist parties had categorically stated that they did not want to be part of the government and were offering support from outside.

But soon it all changed with the Governor clarifying that the TVK had only the support of five Congress and four Communist party MLAs, pointing out that the IUML had not mentioned its support to TVK for government formation in its letter, taking things back to square one.

Earlier, in the busy day, other political parties like the DMK and the BJP held discussions by its top honchos to gear up for any situation that might arise due to unprecedented uncertainty that hung over the political arena after the results of the April 23 Assembly elections, declared on May 4, threw up a hung Assembly with no party or coalition getting a simple majority of 118 MLAs to form the government.

Since the Congress broke its decade long alliance with the DMK on its own to support the TVK in his government formation bid, DMK leader in Parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking suitable changes in the seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha to make the DMK and Congress members not seated together.

TVK with 108 MLAs, has the support of Congress (five), CPM and CPI (two each), totalling 117.

During the day, IUML, a DMK ally, extends support of its two MLAs to TVK, taking its strength past half-way mark of 118.

Governor Arlekar invites Vijay to form government, swearing-in set for 11 am on Saturday.

Governor then says Vijay doesn’t have IUML support, cancels invitation.

As of 12 midnight, arrangements for oath ceremony stopped.

DMK’s T.K.S. Elangovan says party will consider alternative moves only after the May 10 deadline set by Governor for TVK expires.

Ezhilarasi K., a TVK member, has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to Tamil Nadu Governor R.V. Arlekar to invite the party to form government. He said the Governor’s refusal violated Articles 12 and 32 of the Constitution.