Chennai, 03 May (H.S.):With Tamil Nadu staring at the possibility of a fractured verdict ahead of the May 4 counting, actor-politician C Joseph Vijay has moved swiftly to safeguard his party’s prospects, as the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) prepares for potential “resort politics.”

Amid a wide divergence in exit poll predictions — ranging from a comfortable lead for the DMK-led alliance to a resurgence of the AIADMK bloc, and even forecasts of a strong debut by TVK — uncertainty continues to cloud the electoral outcome, prompting political players to brace for post-result realignments.

In anticipation, TVK has reportedly arranged to house its newly elected MLAs at a private resort in Poonjeri, near Mahabalipuram. The facility, with capacity for over 100 occupants, is being readied to accommodate party legislators immediately after the results, in a bid to prevent poaching attempts in a tightly contested scenario.

Sources within the party said Vijay has instructed functionaries to ensure seamless logistics, underlining a proactive strategy to retain control over numbers if no single party secures a clear majority.

Soon after exit polls were released last week, Vijay directed all winning candidates to report promptly to the party headquarters in Panaiyur. During internal deliberations, he is learnt to have cautioned them — partly in jest — against “going anywhere” post-victory, reflecting concerns over possible defections.

Parallelly, TVK has activated its legal team to handle contingencies during counting, while party general secretary Aadhav Arjuna has been tasked with approaching the Election Commission to seek enhanced security arrangements at counting centres.

The DMK, meanwhile, has exuded confidence of emerging as the single largest party, instructing its cadre to stay alert during counting. With the political balance delicately poised, Tamil Nadu could witness intense post-result manoeuvring, with “resort politics” once again taking centre stage.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman