‘Don’t panic, it’s only a delay, not a denial’: TVK general secretary amid Tamil Nadu govt formation uncertainty

CHENNAI: Uncertainty over the formation of a government led by C Joseph Vijay continued on Friday after Tamil Nadu governor R V Arlekar reportedly told the actor-turned-politician that the swearing-in process could move forward only after he demonstrated majority support in the Assembly.Amid speculation and political uncertainty, TVK general secretary N Anand urged party legislators not to panic after MLAs staying at a resort in Mamallapuram arrived at the party headquarters in Panaiyur.“Only a delay and not a denial,” Anand told party members, while dismissing rumours that TVK MLAs were being poached by rival camps.Responding to reports suggesting that the ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK could come together to stop TVK from forming the government, Anand claimed the people of Tamil Nadu were closely watching political developments.“Why was OPS expelled from the AIADMK? Was it not because he was said to have maintained ties with the DMK? These two parties have planned things in a way that could dilute the people’s mandate,” he said, referring to former chief minister O Panneerselvam.Vijay, who met the governor a day after staking claim to form the government, was informed that he had not yet “established” the required numbers to prove majority support.In a statement, Raj Bhavan said the governor explained that the “requisite majority support in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, essential for forming the government, has not been established.”The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam won 108 seats and also secured the backing of five Congress MLAs, but still remained short of the 118-seat majority mark.Following the governor’s response, Vijay held consultations with senior leaders and legal experts at his Foreshore Estate residence to explore the possibility of approaching court for directions seeking a floor test if delays continued.Later in the day, Vijay also spoke to Thol Thirumavalavan over the phone seeking support for government formation. Senior TVK leaders, including Arun Raj and CTR Nirmal Kumar, also reached out to leaders from the CPI, IUML and CPM.“He spoke to me seeking support. I said a decision would be taken after consultations,” Thirumavalavan said.TVK leaders maintained that they remained hopeful of securing the support needed to form the government. “We have sought support from several parties and we hope good will happen,” Arun Raj said, while also urging the governor to act in accordance with constitutional norms.