Information is emerging that the PMK is set to join the TVK government’s cabinet, and that an important portfolio will be allotted to Sowmya Anbumani.
It is being said that behind this information being spread by TVK members on social media lies an by-election calculation.
Some people familiar with the internal affairs who spoke to us about this said, "Chief Minister Vijay is determined to win both constituencies in the by-election. Of the two constituencies, the TVK leadership believes that the chances of victory are higher in Madurantakam.
To secure that victory, the TVK leadership has drawn up certain calculations involving the PMK. There is a significant Vanniyar population in Madurantakam. Their votes could determine victory or defeat.
That is why, behind the scenes, the TVK side assured PMK, “Remain a friendly force to TVK. At the right time, the Chief Minister will give you the due recognition you deserve.” Only after that did PMK decide not to support anyone in the by-election.
PMK contested the 2024 parliamentary election together with the BJP. In that election, PMK received 16,965 votes only within the Madurantakam assembly constituency. This accounted for 9.57% of the votes cast. So, it is believed that PMK has a solid 10% vote bank within that constituency.
In the recently concluded assembly election, PMK was in alliance with the AIADMK. The AIADMK won in Madurantakam. There was a difference of nearly 8,000 votes between the AIADMK and TVK, which came in second. It was PMK’s vote bank that created this gap. TVK has now prevented that PMK from supporting the AIADMK.
TVK now believes that if it can pull those PMK support votes to its side, it can win Madurantakam by at least 10,000 votes over the AIADMK. Keeping this in mind, TVK has deployed Vanniyar community ministers into its campaign.
Moreover, even when Minister Aadhav speaks, he openly says that TVK has 18 Vanniyar community MLAs. Beyond all this, information is being leaked from the ruling side itself that PMK is joining TVK’s cabinet solely to pull away PMK support votes completely, and that Soumya Anbumani is being given an important portfolio.
In fact, to bring PMK into the cabinet, VCK must first be pacified. Moreover, while proudly talking about giving cabinet positions to 8 Dalits, if PMK is also brought into the cabinet, confusion will arise within TVK’s own vote bank.
There are so many headaches involved in this. If PMK is really included in the cabinet, all of this must first be sorted out. We’ll deal with all that later. First, let’s just spread the word and gather PMK’s supportive votes to ensure victory in Madurantakam—that is the mindset of the TVK leadership,” they say.
Will Vijay’s arithmetic of additions and subtractions work?