- TVK chief Vijay sought Congress support to form Tamil Nadu government after election win
- Congress Tamil Nadu unit to decide on support at meeting tomorrow morning
- Congress central leadership gave Tamil Nadu unit autonomy on alliance decision
TVK chief and actor Vijay has sought the Congress's support to form a new government in Tamil Nadu, Congress leader KC Venugopal said today, following the new party's massive win in the assembly election that jolted the southern state's politics by breaking the DMK and AIADMK's traditional duopoly.
The Congress's Tamil Nadu unit will meet tomorrow morning in Chennai and take a call on the matter, Venugopal said, adding the party does not want a BJP government in the state since the mandate is clearly for a "secular government".
Separately, sources said the Congress is likely to support the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the party's central leadership has given full autonomy to the state unit to take an independent decision.
Others are also likely to be part of the new government, sources said, without identifying them. Vijay has to officially stake claim to form the government. Only after that he can take the oath.
Tamil Nadu Congress in-charge Girish Chodankar confirmed that Vijay wrote a letter to the Congress chief seeking support.
"We are considering it. Our performance was not very good; there was a wave in favour of Vijay, and he received votes from the youth and women. The mandate is in favour of a secular government," Chodankar said.
The TVK is the single-largest party with 108 seats. With no party getting the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member assembly, the state has entered a phase of intense negotiations.
Vijay also posted his first post-victory statement on X this evening, thanking supporters for overcoming great odds to reach where the TVK is today.
"... Many spoke against us after we started the party. We overcame it all. We stood alone, trusting the people. Insults disguised as neutrality and criticism came our way. But those for whom we came into politics to pay our debt of gratitude - our own people, our Tamil Nadu, have always supported us like a mother and are continuing to do so," Vijay said in the long post in Tamil on X.
Vijay said the TVK's superb performance is not a win only for the party, but a victory of democracy as well.
"... I offer my lifelong gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu, who have achieved a political victory that was never expected to happen. My heartfelt gratitude goes to each and every one of you, all levels of administrators, and virtual warriors," Vijay said.
