While the rest of the country would wait with bated breath for May 23, the day in which results of the General Elections are announced, the southern State of Tamil Nadu is all set to witness political pyrotechnics during the brief period before the D-Day. The State is already in the midst of high-pitched campaigning for four by-elections to be held on May 19 from four Assembly constituencies, the results of which too would be declared on May 23.
As on Saturday, the ruling AIADMK has 114 MLAs in the House which has an effective strength of 234 members. The DMK, the principal Opposition party has 88 MLAs. The Congress (8) and the Muslim League (1) would increase the numbers in the Opposition benches to 97. The lone AMMK member TTV Dhinakaran is sure to join hands with the DMK-led Opp to pull down the Government.
The Edappadi Palaniswamy-led Government should win at least ten seats pit of the 22 seats which are at stake in the bypolls. If the AIADMK wins ten seats in the by-polls, it can sail without much difficulty in the House. For MK Stalin, the DMK chief, the call from Raj Bhavan for swearing in would come only if he manages to win 21 seats in the by polls. Stalin sounds confident and has already begun the process of government formation, at least in the imposing Anna Aruvalayam, the DMK’s sprawling headquarters in the capital city.