With the initial euphoria of the victory behind them, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is now having to learn some political manoeuvring as it tries to get its numbers in line to form the new TN government.
TVK president C Joseph VIjay on Wednesday met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Lok Bhavan and staked claim to form the next government by giving a letter. However, a swearing-in ceremony on Thursday remains unlikely as the Governor did not invite him to form the government, till the time of writing.
As per regular practice, the Governor invites the largest party to form the government. However, it is learnt that the Governor has been weighing legal opinions on whether a TVK Cabinet can be sworn in as it does not have the mandated 118 seat majority in a 234-member House.
TVK’s meeting with the Governor comes after the Indian National Congress broke its decades-long association with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to extend its full support to TVK to form the government in Tamil Nadu, adding five seats to its tally.
Senior Congress leaders met Vijay at the TVK office to personally hand over a letter of support. “Our support shall be conditional upon the TVK keeping out from this alliance any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India,” said a statement issued by Girish Chodankar, AICC in charge Tamil Nadu.
This alliance — founded on mutual respect, appropriate share, and shared responsibility between the two parties — is not only for the formation of this government, but also for future elections to the local body organisations, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, a Congress statement added
However, even after adding five seats of Congress to its own tally of 108 is still short of of the magic figure of 118.
With AIADMK representatives including Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy categorically denying to media persons that they were considering a coalition with TVK, the TVK’s hopes now lie with Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi (VCK), Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), the two Communist parties, or Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
With multiple feelers being sent and back room meetings taking place, all eyes are now on when and with whose support will Vijay be able to take oath as the Chief Minister of the State.
Published on May 6, 2026