Dhinakaran urges TN governor to ask EPS to form govt in fresh bid to block TVK

In the latest twist in Tamil Nadu’s post-election political drama — marked by repeated attempts from rival parties to prevent the Vijay-led TVK from forming a government despite emerging as the single largest formation — AMMK chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Friday urged governor Rajendra V. Arlekar to invite AIADMK general-secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to form the government.

The AMMK leader also levelled allegations of horse-trading against actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), triggering an overnight political controversy that the party strongly denied.

Dhinakaran said he had submitted a letter to the governor extending the support of AMMK’s lone MLA-designate, S. Kamaraj, to the AIADMK. The AMMK had contested the 23 April Assembly election as part of the NDA alliance led by the AIADMK.

Speaking to reporters outside Raj Bhavan late on Friday night, Dhinakaran claimed he had been unable to contact Kamaraj and alleged that the legislator-elect had effectively “gone missing”.

“I suspect that the TVK, in a desperate bid to form the government, as it lacked the majority might have indulged in horse-trading,” Dhinakaran alleged. He further claimed that he had raised the matter directly with the governor.

The allegations came amid intense manoeuvring by Opposition parties and sections of the political establishment to prevent the fledgling TVK from crossing the majority mark, despite the party’s strong electoral performance and Vijay’s emergence as a central figure in Tamil Nadu politics.

TVK categorically denied the accusations, insisting the party had not indulged in any poaching of legislators to secure numbers in the Assembly. The party said Vijay “would not stoop down to such a low” and released a video purportedly showing Kamaraj signing a letter of support.

However, Kamaraj later denied having backed TVK and disputed the authenticity of the document. Making a sudden appearance late on Friday night, Kamaraj told reporters that he had been staying at a resort in Puducherry along with newly elected AIADMK legislators.

He alleged that the purported support letter backing TVK had been forged. “I was shocked after seeing television reports suggesting that my party MLA has extended support to TVK,” Dhinakaran had said earlier, reiterating that Palaniswami remained the most suitable candidate for chief minister.

On Saturday, the AMMK lodged a formal complaint with the Guindy police against TVK, accusing the party of using a “forged” support letter in its attempt to stake claim to form the government.

According to the Guindy police, a petition from Dhinakaran had been formally received.

Reacting to the developments, DMK MP P. Wilson took a swipe at TVK on X. “I now understand what they meant when they said they are bringing change to TN politics — Tamil Nadu hasn't seen horse trading attempts like this in many years,” he wrote. “All this even before taking charge.”

With PTI inputs