The political stability of Vijay’s newly formed government in Tamil Nadu has once again come under scrutiny, with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM warning that it may reconsider its support if members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam are inducted into the ruling coalition.
The warning comes less than 10 days after Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam formed the government following a dramatic post-election alliance-building exercise.
CPM Opposes Any AIADMK Role In Vijay Government
Responding to questions from the media on Tuesday, CPM leaders said allowing any faction of the AIADMK into the coalition would go against the mandate delivered by voters in the recently concluded Assembly election.
According to the Left party, the electorate had rejected both the AIADMK and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, paving the way for Vijay’s rise.
The CPM further argued that including AIADMK legislators in the government would contradict TVK’s promise of clean governance.
“We are supporting the TVK because Tamil Nadu is not ready for another election and we do not want the BJP to make a rear entry into the state through Governor’s rule,” CPM leaders said while explaining their position.
Vijay Formed Government Despite Falling Short Of Majority
TVK delivered one of the biggest electoral upsets in Tamil Nadu politics by winning 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly during the May 4 election results. However, the party remained 10 seats short of the majority mark needed to form the government independently.
After intense negotiations, the Congress party, which won five seats, extended support to Vijay. Additional backing came from Left parties, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League, helping TVK cross the majority mark.
The trust vote held on May 13 further altered the political landscape in the state.
AIADMK Split Comes Into Public View During Trust Vote
During the floor test, Vijay secured support from 144 legislators, including 24 MLAs from the AIADMK who defied party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami and voted in favour of the TVK government.
The rebellion exposed deep divisions within the AIADMK. The party has since initiated disciplinary proceedings against the rebel legislators and invoked the anti-defection law against them.
The issue gained further attention after Vijay reportedly met AIADMK rebels ahead of the trust vote, triggering discomfort among some of his supporting allies.
Smaller Allies Support TVK To Prevent BJP Entry
Interestingly, both the CPM and VCK continue to maintain their broader alliance with the DMK while offering outside support to Vijay’s government. The Congress, however, formally broke away from the DMK-led alliance to support TVK.
The smaller parties have repeatedly stated that their decision to support Vijay was primarily aimed at avoiding another election and preventing the BJP and AIADMK combine from returning to power in Tamil Nadu.
Political observers say the government’s wafer-thin majority and dependence on outside support could make coalition management a constant challenge for Vijay in the coming months.
AIADMK Rebels Add New Layer Of Uncertainty
The possibility of AIADMK rebels being formally accommodated within the coalition has now created a fresh point of friction inside the support structure propping up the government.
While the rebel MLAs played a key role in Vijay’s successful floor test, any attempt to officially align with them could risk alienating Left allies and other parties that backed TVK specifically to counter both the AIADMK and the BJP.
As Tamil Nadu witnesses a major political realignment after decades of bipolar politics dominated by the DMK and AIADMK, the survival of Vijay’s government may increasingly depend on balancing competing allies and managing ideological contradictions within the coalition.