TVK MLA-Elect Won By 1 Vote. Now DMK Rival's Challenge, Trust Vote Red Light

The Madras High Court has restricted an MLA-elect from the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam - R Srinivasa Sethupathi - from taking oath as a legislator after his rival in last month's election - the DMK's KR Periyakaruppan - challenged the poll result.

Periyakaruppan lost the Tirupattur constituency race by just one vote. Boosted by popular support for TVK chief and superstar actor Vijay, Sethupathi polled 83,365 votes while Periyakaruppan managed 83,364 votes.

The DMK leader has now alleged lapses in counting of postal votes.

The court's restriction also means Sethupathi cannot participate in a trust vote likely to be announced this week to establish the TVK's majority status in the newly-elected House.

Vijay's party swept to a historic win in last month's election, picking up 108 (down to 107 when Vijay quits one of the two seats he won) of the state's 234 seats. Unfortunately, Vijay finished 10 seats short of outright majority.

That triggered a week-long scrabble for power between his TVK and the outgoing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance, which included the Congress, two Left parties, and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.

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The scrabble even extended to the previously unthinkable prospect of the DMK and its arch-rival, the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam allying to stop Vijay and the TVK from ruling.

Eventually Vijay's TVK received backing from the Congress (five seats), the Left (four), and the VCK (two), as well as late support from the TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (one) to ensure it crossed the finish line first.

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Vijay was sworn in as chief minister on Sunday but faces a trust vote to confirm his coalition's position of strength in the new House. The vote is likely to take place on Wednesday. At present the TVK has 107 (excluding Vijay's second seat) plus five from the Congress, four from the Left, two each from the VCK and Indian Union Muslim League, and one from the AMMK.

That gives him 121 seats in a house where the majority is 118. That suggests that even if Sethupathi is unable to vote, the TVK will ride out this particular storm since it will still have 120 seats - two over the majority mark.

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