Team Goemkarponn
Chennai/Panaji: Two politicians from Goa have found themselves at the centre of a high-stakes political battle in Tamil Nadu after actor-turned-politician Vijay led his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to emerge as the single largest party in the Assembly elections but failed to secure a clear majority.
Senior Congress leader Girish Chodankar, who is the party’s Tamil Nadu desk in-charge, has been playing a key role in negotiations between the Congress leadership and the TVK camp. At the same time, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar, a former BJP minister from Goa, is now tasked with deciding whether Vijay has the numbers required to form the next government.
The political deadlock has delayed Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony as intense negotiations continue behind closed doors in Chennai.
TVK fell short of the majority mark by 10 seats despite emerging as the biggest party in the Assembly. Congress has now agreed to support Vijay’s party with conditions attached, taking the alliance tally to 113 seats. However, the combine still needs support from at least five more MLAs to comfortably cross the halfway mark and satisfy the Governor on the question of stability.
Sources in Congress said Chodankar has been actively coordinating discussions between the party high command and regional leaders over the past several days. He is understood to have played a significant role in shaping the terms of support being extended to TVK.
Party insiders said the Congress decision was driven by the need to keep the BJP politically isolated in Tamil Nadu while also aligning with the growing popularity of Vijay among younger voters and urban sections.
Chodankar, who has handled several organisational responsibilities for the Congress outside Goa, is learnt to have worked on the political framework under which the Congress would back the Vijay-led alliance.
Meanwhile, Governor Arlekar has adopted a cautious stand as uncertainty continues over the final numbers. Raj Bhavan sources indicated that the Governor wants clear proof that TVK can sustain a stable government before extending an invitation to form the administration.
Political observers said Arlekar is unlikely to take a hurried decision given the possibility of shifting loyalties among independents and smaller parties in a closely contested Assembly.
The delay in the oath-taking ceremony has intensified political activity across Tamil Nadu, with rival parties questioning whether TVK can successfully secure enough support to survive a floor test.
Despite the uncertainty, celebrations continued outside TVK offices in Chennai where Vijay supporters expressed confidence that their leader would eventually become Chief Minister.
Back in Goa, the developments have generated considerable interest as both Chodankar and Arlekar are familiar political figures who once represented rival political ideologies in the state and are now shaping the outcome of a major political transition in Tamil Nadu.
For now, the focus remains on the final numbers as Tamil Nadu waits for clarity on who will eventually form the next government.
