Dhinakaran said the objective of the move was not to prevent the TVK from forming the government, but to ensure that MLAs were not poached as rival parties explored other possibilities.
AMMK's TTV Dhinakaran disclosed AIADMK's strategy to back Thol Thirumavalavan as Chief Minister amid Tamil Nadu's government formation deadlock.
Chennai,Oct 25, 2026 13:03 IST
AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday revealed that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and other leaders explored the possibility of making VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan the Chief Minister if actor-turned-politician Vijay failed to form the government.
Speaking to reporters, Dhinakaran said the move was explored after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) fell short of the numbers needed to form a government on its own, clarifying that the aim was not to block Vijay’s government formation but to prevent the poaching of TVK MLAs.
“Had the Left parties and Thirumavalavan not extended their support, Vijay would not have formed the government,” Dhinakaran said, explaining the political calculations behind the discussions.
Dhinakaran said DMK president MK Stalin had made it clear that his party would not attempt to form the government, leading to efforts to explore an alternative arrangement under the AIADMK.
However, the Left parties reportedly refused to back Palaniswami, arguing that supporting him would amount to supporting the BJP.
“Following this, all of us, including EPS, made efforts to make Thirumavalavan the Chief Minister,” he said.
The AMMK leader also claimed that he had appealed to Vijay to extend support to an alternative government if the TVK was unable to secure the numbers needed to form one.
Clarifying the rationale behind the move, Dhinakaran said the objective was not to prevent the TVK from forming the government, but to ensure that its MLAs were not poached as rival parties explored other possibilities.
His remarks offer a glimpse into the political manoeuvring and competing calculations that unfolded during the nearly week-long government formation process in Tamil Nadu, as Vijay’s TVK, despite emerging as the single-largest party, struggled to secure the numbers required for a majority.
Vijay met Governor Rajendra Arlekar four times before finally securing an invitation to form the government on May 9, after the VCK and Indian Union Muslim League extended their support, taking the alliance’s tally past the 118-seat majority mark. Vijay took oath as chief minister on May 10.
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