While TVK chief Vijay and senior party leaders reached out to the DMK’s allies — the Communist Party of India, the CPI(M) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which have two seats each — DMK president M.K. Stalin is also learnt to have broached with these three parties the idea of backing an AIADMK-led government. Now clearly, the three parties hold the key to any further churn in Tamil Nadu politics.

Currently, the TVK with the support of the five elected candidates of the Congress, effectively has 112 seats in the 234-member House after accounting for the legal mandate for Vijay to resign from one of his two seats.

Mr. Stalin, the outgoing Chief Minister, invited CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam, CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian, and VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan to his house for discussions. The DMK would not join the government, but the allies are free to take a decision on joining the government, he reportedly told them.

While the two Communist parties sought time, stating their State committee meetings scheduled for Friday would take a final decision, Mr. Thirumavalavan indicated that he would follow the Communists’ stand.