Kamal Ghorui
The backroom manoeuvring in Tamil Nadu began on May 4 soon after it became clear that C Joseph Vijay’s TVK had won 108 seats, 10 short of a simple majority.AIADMK seniors S P Velumani and C V Shanmugam reportedly plotted together to get 33 of 47 party MLAs to their side and join hands with TVK while skirting the anti-defection law.Around the same time, on the night of May 4, AIADMK general secretary E K Palaniswami, who apparently did not have any inkling of this, reportedly began talks with Udhayanidhi Stalin on forming a govt with the support of 74 MLAs from DMK and its allies to prevent Vijay from assuming office. The proposal soon gathered momentum, with several senior DMK members mounting pressure on outgoing chief minister M K Stalin to consider a tie-up with arch rival AIADMK.In parallel, for three days – from May 4 until May 6 noon – Velumani and Shanmugam held hectic parleys with TVK’s Bussy Anand and Aadhav Arjuna, besides Vijay’s poll strategist Jhon Arokiasamy. The demands they laid out included one ministerial berth for every five MLAs, which adds up to seven, besides the post of one deputy CM.There was total silence from TVK after Congress MLAs visited its Panaiyur office with letters of support on May 6. TVK broke its silence and resumed talks with the Velumani-Shanmugam-led group on May 7, after VCK, CPI and CPM continued to prevaricate on extending support. However, hours later, as CPI and CPM declared their support for Vijay, TVK again turned cold to the Velumani-Shanmugam proposal.
On May 6, Palaniswami, too, swung into action, summoning all newly elected AIADMK MLAs to his camp office. After day-long hectic discussions, he managed to thwart attempts by Velumani and Shanmugam to rally party MLAs in support of Vijay. Palaniswami subsequently deputed party’s deputy general secretary K P Munusamy to publicly declare that “AIADMK will not extend support to TVK under any circumstance”.AIADMK MLAs were later corralled at resorts in Puducherry on May 6, in a development reminiscent of the infamous Koovathur resort episode that unfolded in the aftermath of the death of former CM J Jayalalithaa.On May 7, Stalin held consultations with DMK MLAs and instructed them to abide by whatever decision the party leadership ultimately took. During a meeting with allies CPI, CPM and VCK on Thursday morning, Stalin broached the idea of a DMK-backed, AIADMK-led govt and sought their support. He is said to have urged allies not to sever ties abruptly like Congress. “He told the allies not to do anything without informing him. He said he would not stop them,” a leader of the alliance said.Eventually, the plans of the Dravidian majors failed to take shape after Left parties showed little interest in the proposal and instead decided to support TVK.On Friday night, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan met Stalin, apparently to discuss an amicable separation. However, VCK has kept Vijay waiting, saying a final decision would be announced on the morning of May 9.
