- Joseph Vijay expanded Tamil Nadu Cabinet with 23 new ministers, including TVK and Congress MLAs
- VCK and IUML allies not yet in the Cabinet despite being invited by Vijay
- VCK and IUML maintain ties with DMK and may delay joining
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has expanded his Cabinet inducting 21 MLAs from his party, the TVK, and two from the ally Congress. The superstar-turned-chief minister had taken oath of office with nine ministers on May 10 after days of twists and turns in the numbers game that played out after the May 4 results where TVK emerged as the single largest party, but short of majority.
Congress' five MLAs, two each from the two Left parties, the VCK and the IUML provided the needed strength to Vijay's party to go past the magic number of 118 in the House of 234.
At the Thursday's Cabinet expansion, all eyes were on the two missing allies from the oath taking ceremonies. Thol Thirumavalavan-led VCK and the IUML, both of them supporting the Vijay-led government, were not part of the Cabinet expansion. Sources told NDTV that both the allies have been assured one Cabinet berth each, but they have not named their ministerial picks leading to their absence from this expansion. Sources added that VCK and IUML will be inducted in the government at a later stage. Vijay can have 35 ministers (15% of the House strength of 234). So far, he has filled 32 posts, keeping 3 vacant in a conciliatory message to these two tough allies.
Read | A 59-Year Wait Ends For Congress As Vijay Expands Cabinet
VCK And IUML's Guessing Game
The two regional parties, which have close ties with the MK Stalin-led DMK, gave many a jitter to the TVK in the run-up to the government formation as they kept Vijay guessing till the last moment. The two, when they come around to support the TVK formally, also made it clear that they were doing so with the blessings of former chief minister MK Stalin and only to avert the possibility of a Governor's rule in the state. They appear to be playing the same game on joining the government. While the TVK senior leader and Tamil Nadu minister Aadhav Arjun clarified that both the VCK and IUML have been invited to join the Vijay Cabinet, the two parties have not yet named their MLAs who would be ministers.
Political watchers believe that the two regional forces with deep ties with the DMK are likely to wait and watch before formally joining the Vijay Cabinet. They may want to see how the government functions and if it is worth their while to snap ties with the DMK and join forces with the TVK full-fledged. So, the delay.
Bargaining For Better Berths?
By delaying their joining the Vijay Cabinet, the two regional forces can also buy time to bargain hard for plum portfolios for their nominees. It's worth mentioning here that during the week of hectic political games after the May 4 results, a proposal was reportedly made for the archrivals DMK and AIADMK to join hands to form the government with VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan as the chief minister. The reported proposal was denied by the VCK, but there was a strong buzz nonetheless on a possible radical Dravidian realignment. There was also a buzz around Thirumavalavan, who, although is a Lok Sabha MP, angling for the post of deputy chief minister. Is that VCK hard bargain still on? Possible.
Read | 21 TVK, 2 Congress MLAs Take Oath In Vijay's Cabinet, No IUML Or VCK For Now
The AIADMK Factor
The split in the AIADMK led by E Palaniswami (EPS) has provided a much-needed cushion to the Vijay government that came in on a wafer-thin majority. 25 AIADMK MLAs under the leadership of CV Shanmugam rebelled against EPS and supported the TVK government in the floor test. The move has split the AIADMK down the middle and Palaniswami has expelled the "rebels" from party posts. The legal and political fate of the MLAs now rests with the Assembly Speaker.
This subplot will also weigh on the minds of VCK and IUML leaders. If the rebel AIADMK faction joins the TVK government, it will bring down the two parties' stocks as the Vijay government will no longer be at their mercy. It will also be a political suicide for the VCK and IUML to be in the same political boat as AIADMK after being their rival and DMK's allies for years.
So, VCK and IUML may wait for the Vijay government to prove itself in administration, and the TVK party to prove itself as a trustworthy ally before they decide on joining the government.
While the Left is clear on outside support, the IUML and VCK may decide soon - the lure to be part of the government is strong, but the fear of breaking away completely from the DMK is also there - they are both weighing their options.
