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Chennai: A day after Tamil Nadu election results were announced, the Congress on Tuesday claimed that TVK chief Vijay approached the party for support in the government formation. It said that the party’s leadership has asked the state unit to take the final call on the same.

Mandate for secular Govt: Congress

Speaking to the media, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said, as per ANI, “TVK president Vijay has requested the INC for support to form a Govt in Tamil Nadu. INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government, committed to protecting the constitution in letter and spirit.”

“The INC is determined not to have the BJP, and proxies run the Govt of Tamil Nadu in any manner…Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision on Vijay’s request, keeping in view the sentiments of the state reflected in the electoral verdict.”

He further said that the senior leaders of the party held a meeting to discuss the Tamil Nadu election results. He added that the meeting was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar, among others. Venugopal noted that the Congress was determined not to have the BJP in the Tamil Nadu government.

Earlier on Monday, Rahul Gandhi spoke to Vijay and congratulated him on the win. “I spoke to Thiru Vijay and congratulated him on TVK’s spectacular result. This mandate reflects the rising voice of youth, which cannot, and will not, be ignored,” he wrote on X.

TVK 10 seats short of the majority

While the elections were held for all 234 seats in the state Assembly, TVK won 108 seats, DMK 59, ADMK 47. while the Congress won 5 seats. TVK needs 10 seats to be able to form the government in the state. Among other parties PML won 4, while IUML and CPI won two seats each. TVK, which was formed recently, contested the Assembly polls for the first time.