VCK Demands Deputy CM Post, Cabinet Berths for Support to TVK

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has demanded the post of Deputy Chief Minister and one additional cabinet berth in exchange for its support to Thalapathy Vijay's TVK in forming the Tamil Nadu government, according to sources. The party is also seeking the MLA seat that will fall vacant once Vijay vacates one of his two constituencies, as well as a guaranteed MP seat when the Chidambaram Lok Sabha seat becomes vacant.

The VCK's demands come as TVK, which won 108 seats in the April 23 assembly election, needs the support of other parties to reach the 118-majority mark. With Congress's five seats and CPI and CPM's two seats each already on board, the combined tally stands at 119, but VCK's formal backing is critical.

The VCK has also put forward legislative demands, including a dedicated law against caste- and religion-based discrimination and a legal framework criminalising honour killings.

The TVK has approached the IUML once again to secure the support of its two MLAs as an additional safety net, possibly understanding the tricky path of a coalition. The immediate next steps will involve negotiations between TVK and VCK, as well as other parties, to finalize the government formation.