TN Governor shouldn’t create hurdles in govt formation: CPI after extending support to TVK

New Delhi: After the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Friday formally extended “unconditional support” to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), its General Secretary D. Raja asserted that Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar should not create “hurdles: in government formation in the state.

Interacting with reporters about the political developments in the southern state, where the TVK emerged as the largest party but fell short of a majority, Raja said that the TVK, led by actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay, had approached his party, as well as the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the VCK.

“We have responded to the letter positively. The Tamil Nadu unit of our party has taken a position in consultation with the national leadership of our party. We have agreed to extend support to the TVK,” he said.

He added that the CPI has asked the Tamil Nadu Governor to invite the leader of the single largest party to form the government.

“The Governor should not create hurdles. The governor must follow the established practices and conventions of a parliamentary democracy. He should invite and allow the single largest party to form the government in the state.”

He emphasised that the decision has been taken in the interest of Tamil Nadu, to have a stable and “secular” government.

The CPI and the CPI-M have two MLAs each.

Meanwhile, former Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that the Governor’s office is being “used” to create an “environment for horse trading” in Tamil Nadu.

“Respect should be given to people’s mandate who have made TVK the single largest party,” Chaturvedi told IANS.

Tamil Nadu continues to witness intense negotiations and shifting alliances following the fractured mandate delivered in the April 23 Assembly elections.

The results, declared on May 4, threw up a hung Assembly with the TVK emerging as the single largest party after securing 108 seats in the 234-member House. The Congress, with five MLAs, had earlier extended support to Vijay’s party, taking the combine’s strength to 112 seats.

With the backing of the CPI and the CPI-M, which were also members of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance – along with the Congress, Vijay’s camp has moved a step closer to the majority mark of 118 required to form the government.

IANS