Speaking to journalists, Mr. Thirumavalavan said that Mr. Chakravarty had informed him that he would be filing the nomination, and that former MLA S.S. Balaji had been asked to participate on behalf of the VCK
“DMK leaders like A. Raja are criticising us. We are pained...but we understand their point of view as well. The DMK cadre will not be able to accept the VCK joining hands with the TVK, which has severely criticised the DMK,” stated Mr. Thirumavalavan.
During his visit to Madurai, the Minister had stated that the present TVK-led government should not find it imperative to stick to the stand taken by the previous DMK government that the Chief Minister alone should be the Chancellor of State-run universities
As matters threatened to turn ugly, DMK president M.K. Stalin intervened and appealed to the party leaders to calm down, arguing that every party can determine its own political course
Mr. Stalin’s remarks came against the backdrop of some DMK leaders criticising the entry of the VCK and the IUML, both of which contested as part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, into the TVK-led Cabinet
With VCK’s Vanni Arasu and IUML’s Shahjahan on board, Vijay’s Cabinet in Tamil Nadu now has 35 Ministers
The State secretary of CPI (M) made it clear that the Left parties would reconsider their decision to support the TVK government if it chose to include AIADMK legislators in the Cabinet
Speaking to reporters after TVK leader and Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna gave an open invitation to the VCK to join the Cabinet, Mr. Thirumavalavan said, “I will discuss this with frontline leaders and take a call on the way forward.”
“We invite VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan to be part of the Council of Ministers. This is the wish of the Chief Minister as well. Similarly, the IUML should also join the Council of Ministers. We have conveyed our invitation to IUML leaders,” Minister Aadhav Arjuna told reporters in Chennai.
The AIADMK’s rebel MLAs should resign, join the TVK, and seek a fresh mandate: VCK general secretary
His remarks come a day after AIADMK rebel leader C.Ve. Shanmugam alleged that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had blocked an opportunity for an SC Chief Minister
The idea of making Mr. Thirumavalavan the CM was mooted after a bid for an AIADMK Government with DMK support hit hurdles, a senior VCK leader told The Hindu
Party sources said while Mr. Thirumavalavan does not want to formally join the State Government, the party’s office bearers are urging him to rethink it
In identically worded letters, similar to those sent by the Left parties and addressed to the Governor, Thol. Thirumavalavan and Kader Mohideen said their respective parties extended unconditional support to the TVK, under the leadership of party president C. Joseph Vijay, to form the government
Sources said VCK Legislature Party leader Vanniarasu is on his way to Chennai to sign the letter of support