'Not ignored his request': VCK to decide on supporting Vijay-led TVK government

VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, on Thursday, said his party had received a request from TVK seeking support to form the government and that the party’s high-level committee would decide on the matter soon.

TVK emerged as the single largest party after winning 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly. Party chief Vijay will also have to resign from one of the two constituencies he won.

Although the Congress, which has five MLAs, has extended support to TVK, the party still remains short of the 118-seat majority mark needed to form the government.

"We received the request letter from TVK. We are thankful for that. We have not ignored his (Vijay's) request. We have a procedure. Therefore, our party's high-level committee will decide soon. We are going to discuss the merits and demerits of our position," Thirumavalavan told reporters.

On the delay in inviting TVK to form the government, Thirumavalavan urged the governor to call Vijay, saying, "It is a constitutional right and people's verdict."

He further said the governor cannot insist that Vijay show the support of 118 MLAs before being invited to form the government, adding that the TVK chief would only need to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly after taking office.