Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 8 : As the political stalemate in Tamil Nadu continues, smaller parties have emerged as the key focal point in a deeply fractured mandate that has unsettled the state's traditional political equations, with both the Dravidian majors now facing a complex post-poll scenario.
The cinematic entrance of actor-turned-politician Vijay into electoral politics, securing 108 seats through his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has significantly altered the state's political landscape, forcing parties to reassess long-standing alliances and explore new combinations in a hung Assembly situation.
After the Congress decided to extend support to TVK with its five MLAs, attention has now shifted to other former DMK alliance partners, who are also weighing their options as negotiations intensify over the formation of a government in the 234-member House.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India (CPI) are both separately holding executive meetings to decide whether they will extend support to Vijay-led TVK, a move that could play a decisive role in determining the next government in the state.
Both CPI (M) and CPI hold two MLAs each, and their support would take the emerging TVK to 117 seats, just one short of the 118-seat majority mark required in the Assembly.
Earlier, CPI (M) leader P Shanmugam said that his party has received a letter from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, on which discussion will be held in the party's state committee meeting.
"TVK Chief sent a letter to our party. Our State Committee meeting will be held tomorrow morning; we will make our decision in it," said Shanmugam
"According to the Constitution, it is TVK that should be allowed to form the government. We have never seen a situation like this in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, and now we have a hung Assembly. It is the Governor who should invite Vijay to form the government because he is leading," Shanmugam said.
VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) is also to convene a meeting of its high-level committee this evening; VCK, formally part of the DMK alliance, won two seats in the state assembly elections.
If all three parties, along with Congress, support Vijay then the TVK crosses the majority mark.
Meanwhile, AIADMK leaders continue to arrive at the party's General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, as the third largest party with 47 seats, look to stitch an alliance.
BJP will also hold a consultative meeting regarding the recently concluded elections, which will be held under the leadership of Tamil Nadu BJP State President Nainar Nagendran at Kamalalayam, the Tamil Nadu BJP state headquarters.
The series of meetings comes amid intense political deliberations following the hung verdict in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
TVK won 108 seats in the Assembly elections, while Congress won five, taking the tally of the newly brewing alliance to 112. The TVK-led potential coalition still falls five short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly.
TVK stunned the 'Dravidian' parties in the State, bringing to an end the DMK-AIADMK three- decade-old 'duopoly'. With Vijay also to step down from one of the two seats he won in the assembly polls, the effective strength of TVK in the assembly will become 107, and along with the Congress, the alliance has 112 members, just 5 short of a majority.