Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has warned that all 107 of its MLAs will resign if either Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam attempts to stake claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu, NDTV reported on Thursday, citing sources.
The warning came after Governor R. V. Arlekar reportedly declined to invite TVK to form the government, citing lack of majority support and asking the party to furnish letters backing at least 118 legislators.
TVK, which emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats, currently has support from the Congress and is in talks with Left parties and smaller regional outfits to bridge the gap to the majority mark.
According to NDTV sources, the Governor informed Vijay during a meeting at Raj Bhavan that he would need letters of support from at least 118 MLAs to establish a majority in the 234-member Assembly.
A Raj Bhavan statement later said the Governor had “explained that the requisite majority support in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, essential for forming the Government, has not been established”.
TVK currently requires 10 additional MLAs to cross the halfway mark. The party is understood to have secured support from the Congress, which has five legislators, while discussions are reportedly underway with Left parties and smaller regional outfits.
The latest escalation followed key meetings within both the DMK and AIADMK camps earlier in the day, triggering suspicions within TVK that the two Dravidian parties could explore an arrangement to keep Vijay out of power.
ALSO READ: Left Parties Mock Vijay-Led TVK's 'WhatsApp Outreach' To Reach Majority Mark In Tamil Nadu
At a meeting chaired by party chief M. K. Stalin, the DMK passed four resolutions, including one authorising Stalin to take “emergency decisions”.
Explaining the move, the DMK said, “Our primary aim is to avert another election, to have a stable government and not give room to communal forces.”
The party also described the absence of a clear majority as a “complicated crisis” and directed all its MLAs to remain in Chennai amid the ongoing political developments. The AIADMK, led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami, also held internal deliberations as speculation intensified over possible post-poll realignments in the state.
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