Chennai : An upset DMK on Thursday declared that the “INDIA bloc is gone” after the Congress snapped ties with the MK Stalin-led party and backed actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 of 234 seats and decided to ally with the Congress, which has five MLAs, significantly altering the state’s post-poll equations.
“INDIA bloc is gone,” senior DMK leader TKS Elangovan said, accusing the Congress of betraying a long-standing ally. Asked whether the Left parties and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) would remain with the DMK-led alliance, the DMK leader said they were free to decide their own political course. “The CPI, CPI (M) and VCK said they will consider (their decisions) with their respective leaderships. Whatever decision they take, we will support them. We will not force them to do anything,” he said.
The Congress chose to support the TVK after the Assembly polls primarily to respect a strong public mandate for change and to ensure the formation of a secular government. By allying with Vijay’s party, Congress aimed to prevent “communal forces” (a reference to the BJP or its proxies) from gaining power in the state. This decision also offered Congress a historic opportunity to return to power-sharing in Tamil Nadu for the first time since 1967, seeking ministerial berths in exchange for its support to TVK.
The resolutions stated that the elections had produced “no clear majority for any one party” and unanimously empowered Stalin to respond to the fast-changing political developments. The DMK accused the Congress of “betrayal” and “backstabbing,” saying the party had “not changed its old character.” “What the BJP did to other states, Congress did to DMK in Tamil Nadu,” one of the resolutions said.
In the April 23 Assembly polls, the Congress won five seats, while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), CPI, CPI(M) and VCK – all allies of the DMK – secured two seats each. If these parties decide to back Vijay’s TVK, the party would comfortably cross the halfway mark of 118 seats required to form the government in the 234-member Assembly. According to sources, the Governor told Vijay that TVK still lacked the numbers needed to prove majority support and asked him to come back with signatures of 118 legislators before any swearing-in process could begin.
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