• Source:JND

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Tuesday met with the rebel All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs, ahead of the floor test in the state Assembly.

The revolting MLAs, led by V Shanmugam, have extended support to the TVK government. Vijay arrived at Shanmugam's residence and felicitated him.

It is believed that 40 newly elected legislators have extended support to the Vijay government, accusing party general secretary Edappi K Palaniswami of seeking an alliance with the arch-rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), through back channelling, after Vijay struggled to gain majority support post-election results announcement.

How would numbers stack now?

The meeting has made the result of the floor test almost clear as Vijay's TVK is likely to cross not just majority but the 120 mark. At present, TVK has 107 seats and support from Congress (5 seats), VCK (2), CPI (2), CPI-M (2), and IUML (2). 

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The tally rests at 120. Reports suggest as many as 30 MLAs are in the Shanmugam and Velunami camp, while 17 are supporting EPS. If true, the TVK could get support from 150 MLAs in the 234-seat Assembly. 

Rift in AIADMK over TVK support, leadership change 

Earlier, Shamugam had said that AIADMK was floated to oppose and "uproot" DMK, and therefore, all party members had opposed Palaniswami's proposal to join forces with DMK to get to power.

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The rift in the AIADMK also grew over the demands of leadership change. AIADMK contested 167 seats but won only 47 with a strike rate of less than 29 per cent. The voices had been growing within the party, demanding that EPS step down from the post of general secretary. Support for TVK and the leadership crisis led to a divide in the party. 


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