AIADMK faction won't join Tamil Nadu govt, says Congress MP

NEW DELHI: Amid continuing controversy over the fate of the AIADMK rebel faction in Tamil Nadu and close numbers enjoyed by governing TVK coalition, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said AIADMK won't join the Vijay govt, and the mandate in the state is against any kind of "backdoor" politics of BJP. Tagore, an early advocate of Congress flipping from the DMK camp to TVK, told TOI that numbers in the state are not too close to destabilise the Vijay govt, and the arrangement would work out well. Asked about VCK's threat to quit govt if the AIADMK faction is given ministerial berths, Tagore said, "AIADMK is not joining govt. So, the question does not arise. We are clear. We are against BJP. Backroom politics of BJP should not be allowed. Vijay govt was only short of 10 seats of majority mark. All parties - Congress, VCK, IUML, Left - gave the numbers. So there is no need to take help of any other party. Govt is safe." Tagore argued the numbers are not as close as they are made out to be, and "TVK's floor managers will deal with the issue." Tagore said rebellion in AIADMK was because the party never aligned with DMK, but party chief Edappadi Palaniswami planning to form govt with DMK after the state polls threw up a hung assembly. "They (AIADMK faction) gave reason that they cannot go with DMK because the party was founded against DMK. These 25 MLAs were against the move, and instead favoured TVK. The Speaker has to decide about their membership. The issue is on the Speaker's table," he said. Exuding confidence about the future of the "secular progressive govt", Tagore said the TVK regime is the first coalition govt in TN after 1957. "We hope that a new era of coalition has come in TN, and feel that we will fight the hate politics that is trying to make entry into TN," he said.