Chennai, May 6: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay met with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday to formally stake his claim to form the next government in Tamil Nadu. The move comes after his fledgling party emerged as the single-largest entity in the recently concluded assembly elections, securing 108 seats but falling short of the 118-seat majority mark.
The political landscape in the state shifted significantly as the Congress party announced its decision to support the TVK, effectively ending its long-standing partnership with the DMK. Despite this backing, the alliance remains slightly below the required threshold, as the Congress holds only five seats. “The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Legislative Party have decided to extend full support to the TVK,” stated AICC Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar. He noted that the support is contingent on ensuring communal forces remain excluded from the government.
While the Congress has moved toward the TVK, other former DMK allies have maintained their distance. The Left parties and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) ruled out any possibility of joining a Vijay-led administration. Following a meeting with DMK chief M.K. Stalin, representatives from the CPI(M), CPI, and IUML affirmed their continued loyalty to the Dravidian party. Meanwhile, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which holds two seats, has yet to finalize its stance. “The decision will be made by our party president, Thol Thirumavalavan,” a senior VCK official asserted.
The DMK, which secured 59 seats in the 234-member house, described the Congress’s sudden departure as “backstabbing.” With the assembly now dissolved and negotiations ongoing, the TVK leader must prepare to demonstrate his majority on the floor of the House. Party sources maintained that Vijay is likely to be sworn in as Chief Minister on May 7, marking the first time a non-Dravidian party has led the state in over five decades.
