Sridhar Vembu calls for fresh ‘cash-free’ TN polls, says Vijay will get ‘super majority’

Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu has come out in support of debutant Joseph Vijay and said the Tamil Nadu assembly elections should be held again minus cash for votes. He believes Vijay will get a stronger mandate then, solving the hung assembly problem in the state.

In its maiden elections, Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) shored up 108 seats but fell short by 10 to form the government. While the Congress has promised to back it with its five MLAs, there is not clarity yet where the other five will come from. He has twice staked claim to form the government but Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has sent him back both times, asking him to produce the required numbers.

Vembu’s solution

“The numbers don’t seem to add up,” Vembu posted on X. “Whatever government is cobbled together is likely to be unstable with various pulls and pressures,” he added, asserting that the state “deserves better”. “President’s rule with fresh elections may be the best course, this time with a very strict ‘no cash for votes’ enforcement. Then we will see who has the real mandate,” he said.

Also read: Vijay doesn't have to 'prove' his majority since Constitution never asked him to

“I think Vijay will come back with a super majority and if the DMK-AIADMK want to stop that, let them fight together. The BJP should fight alone, even if it leads to zero seats, time for a fresh start for the BJP in TN. Let the people decide afresh,” Vembu added.

‘Will of the people’

In a separate post he said “respecting the mandate and letting Vijay form the government is the smartest move for DMK, AIADMK and other parties”. He added that if fresh polls are held, TVK “will win a super-majority”.

Vembu later added yet another post to assert that “Vijay won a clear mandate and should form the government. Anything else is against the will of the people.”

Also read: Nobody knew TVK candidates, they voted for Vijay: Political analyst R Kannan

He added that “instead of endless horse trading”, fresh polls would be the best and he believes “TVK will win a super majority”. He claimed other parties are likely to lose seats to TVK.

“I don’t say all these as a TVK supporter. I say these as someone who loves Tamil Nadu and Bharat. … I hope a good solution is found soon and TVK forms the government, as that is the will of the people.”