- IUML and VCK have agreed to join Vijay's government in Tamil Nadu and their MLAs may take oath tomorrow
- VCK and IUML delayed joining despite initial support
- IUML has named AM Shahjahan for inclusion in the cabinet
The Indian Union Muslim League or IUML and then Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi or VCK -- allies crucial to the survival of the actor-politician Vijay's government in Tamil Nadu -- have finally agreed to join his government. Their MLAs are likely to take oath tomorrow.
The smaller allies of Vijay -- who had ended up with an unprecedented mandate that fell marginally short of majority -- had been playing hard to get since the results were announced.
The Left bloc and the VCK agreed at the last minute, declaring that they, the allies of DMK, had the blessing of party chief MK Stalin to join the government, and they are doing so only to keep the state from falling into the grip of the BJP via Governor's Rule.
This time, the VCK had kept the TVK guessing despite the party's early invite to allies for government formation.
Yesterday, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan had indicated that the party would deliberate on TVK's invite. "We did not demand ministerial positions as a precondition for extending support. We offered unconditional support solely for government formation despite winning only two seats," he had said.
Even so, the party did not name any MLA and this morning, only 21 MLAs from TVK and two from Congress took oath.
The IUML -- which is already part of the UDF government in Kerala -- did not name an MLA either despite their yesterday's acceptance of TVK's offer. This morning, the party's top leader KM Kader Mohideen made a formal announcement about joining the government in Tamil Nadu and named its Papanasam MLA AM Shahjahan for inclusion in the Cabinet.
The cabinet now comprises 33 MLAs, two berths are vacant.Now with the IUML and VCK both stepping up, the there appears no chance of any AIADMK rebel MLAs making it to the cabinet. The CPI and CPM have stood their ground on remaining out of power.
During the trust vote of Vijay on May 13, as many as 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs led by SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam had supported the government.
Vijay's meeting with the rebel faction ahead of the vote had caused some disquiet among his allies and the Left parties had said they would "reconsider" their support if the AIADMK MLAs were accommodated despite the negative public mandate.
The TVK had won 108 seats in the April 23 assembly polls and the Left parties, VCK and IUML -- each with two seats -- have extended support to the TVK in addition to Congress, which has five MLAs.
