Chennai

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday said the party will hold internal discussions before taking a final decision on the open invitation extended by TVK-led government to join the newly formed state cabinet.

He said TVK founder and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had first proposed the idea earlier, and his cabinet colleague Adhav Arjuna had seconded it.

"TVK leadership has now openly expressed its desire for both the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) to join the cabinet. We respect and thank them for this invitation. However, a decision on joining the ministry will be made only after consulting our frontline leaders, including the two general secretaries, and principal secretary," Thirumavalavan told reporters after paying tribute to Dravidian icon Pandithar Ayotheethassar on his birth anniversary.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi had earlier maintained that they would support TVK "unconditionally" to form the government.

"While a majority of the committee members during the (earlier) meeting expressed that the party should be part of the cabinet, the final decision was left to the party leadership. Following discussions with the general secretaries on May 9, we decided to extend unconditional support to the TVK solely for government formation. We did not put forth any conditions or demand cabinet berths in exchange for our two seats," he reclled.

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Addressing the post-election political developments in Tamil Nadu, the VCK chief acknowledged that Vijay had previously dropped hints during a book launch event for a volume on Dr Ambedkar, suggesting that Thirumavalavan's heart was with them.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Vijay visited the VCK chief at his office in Velachery and explicitly expressed his desire for VCK's participation in the government, a sentiment later reiterated publicly by TVK leader Aval Arjuna.