VCK, IUML to join Vijay’s cabinet in a few days; both expected to get one berth each

CHENNAI: VCK and IUML have decided to join C Joseph Vijay’s cabinet in the next few days after TVK publicly invited them to on Thursday. Both are expected to get one berth each.

VCK sources said party president Thol Thirumavalavan may not be part of the cabinet, though TVK was keen on accommodating him. VCK deputy general secretary Vanni Arasu, who won from Tindivanam, is expected to be inducted instead.

There is also speculation that Thirumavalavan may contest from Trichy East, which Vijay gave up. VCK sources said TVK was urging Thirumavalavan to contest the byelection, though he has been hesitant about joining the cabinet.

IUML has called an emergency meeting of its state committee in Chennai on Thursday under the leadership of its president K M Kader Mohideen to take a decision. “IUML’s national party political affairs committee, which met in Kerala on Wednesday, decided to join Vijay’s cabinet and asked its Tamil Nadu unit to select the MLA to be inducted,” said a senior IUML leader. IUML MLA S S B Syed Farooq Basha (Vaniyambadi) is expected to be inducted in the cabinet.

After TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna’s open invitation earlier in the day, Thirumavalavan told reporters that he would discuss with senior leaders and announce his decision.

“I do not think there is a need to convene the high-level committee again for this. Still, I will consult key office-bearers including the general secretaries and announce our decision,” Thirumavalavan said.

Thirumavalavan also said that TVK has informed them that the rebel AIADMK MLAs who backed the govt during the trust vote will not be part of the ministry.

“Information has been passed on to us from TVK that there is no chance for the breakaway AIADMK faction to be accommodated in the cabinet,” he said.

Aadhav Arjuna chose not to give a direct reply to a question on whether the rebel AIADMK MLAs would be given ministerial berths, stating that the rebel AIADMK MLAs supported TVK in the floor test to support people’s mandate and not for postings.

Instead, he attacked AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami stating that he should have functioned as an opposition leader after the election but attempted to come to power “through the backdoor” by forging an arrangement with DMK. This attempt was against the people’s mandate, as a result of which AIADMK MLAs rebelled, he said.

“Brother C Ve Shanmugham led that faction. DMK is spreading wrong information that these talks were negotiations for power. They extended support with a sense of friendship and brotherhood,” Aadhav said.

Aadhav said chief minister Vijay wanted parties and leaders functioning on the principles of social justice and secularism to become part of the cabinet. He said the CM wanted Congress to be part of the cabinet and that VCK and IUML had also been invited to participate in the ministry.