Tamil Nadu Congress Backs TVK Leader Vijay for Secular Government Formation

Congress Supports Vijay's Vision for Tamil Nadu

In a significant political move, the Tamil Nadu Congress has pledged its support to TVK leader Vijay in his quest to establish a secular government in the state, according to sources.

This decision was reached during an urgent meeting of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Tamil Nadu Congress, which took place late Tuesday night.

The meeting, convened by AICC's Tamil Nadu Affairs in-charge Girish Chodankar, aimed to discuss the potential support for Vijay.

Conducted via Zoom, the meeting saw senior party members expressing their backing for the actor-turned-politician.

The PAC unanimously agreed to support Thiru Vijay in his efforts to form a secular government in Tamil Nadu, as confirmed by sources.

Earlier that day, Congress officials stated that Vijay had approached them for assistance in forming the government, prompting the leadership to instruct the state unit to make a decision reflecting the sentiments of the electorate.

Having previously contested the assembly elections in alliance with the DMK, the Congress emphasized that the mandate in Tamil Nadu calls for a secular government, vowing to prevent the BJP and its affiliates from influencing governance.

Top Congress figures convened at the residence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday evening, with notable attendees including Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and Girish Chodankar.

Following the meeting, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal addressed the media, stating that the leadership had deliberated on the post-election landscape in Tamil Nadu.

"TVK President Thiru Vijay has requested the Indian National Congress for support to form a Government in Tamil Nadu," he remarked.

"The INC is resolute that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government committed to upholding the Constitution. We will not allow the BJP and its affiliates to govern Tamil Nadu in any capacity," he added.

Venugopal further indicated that the Congress leadership has tasked the TNCC with making a final decision regarding Vijay's request, taking into account the sentiments expressed in the electoral results.

Vijay's TVK secured 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, falling short of the majority threshold. He requires the backing of 10 MLAs to achieve a simple majority. The election results were announced just the day before.

The Congress managed to win five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) secured four. The CPI and CPI-M each obtained two seats. The outgoing ruling party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), won 59 seats, and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) garnered 47 seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed only one seat, as did the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK), while the VCK won two seats.

The Congress had entered the assembly elections as part of a pre-poll alliance with the DMK, whereas the BJP aligned with the AIADMK.