Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar officially informed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday that the party has yet to establish the necessary majority support required to form the provincial government. Following a high-profile meeting at Lok Bhavan in Chennai, an official release stated that the Governor explained the constitutional necessity of proving the requisite support within the 234-member Legislative Assembly. Although TVK has staked a claim to lead the administration with the backing of Congress, the current alliance remains five seats short of the 118-seat majority mark required for a stable mandate.
The political landscape in the state remains fluid as Vijay has reached out to other potential allies, including the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), seeking their support to establish what he describes as a progressive government. CPI leader Veerapandiyan confirmed receipt of a formal request from the TVK chief and announced that an emergency state executive committee meeting has been scheduled for Friday to finalize the party’s stance. While the CPI maintains its current ties with the DMK-led alliance, the upcoming decision is viewed as a critical turning point for the formation of the next administration in Chennai.
Meanwhile, VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan has publicly urged the Governor to invite Vijay to take office as the leader of the single largest party, arguing that the majority should be proven on the floor of the house rather than through preliminary lists at the Governor’s residence. Thirumavalavan criticized the delay in the swearing-in process, suggesting that the current impasse allows for external political interference and creates unnecessary confusion in the region. He emphasized that constitutional guidance often favours allowing the largest party to attempt to prove its strength through a formal floor test in the assembly.
TVK’s performance in the recent polls has fundamentally reshaped Tamil Nadu politics, effectively bringing an end to the long-standing duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK. With TVK holding 107 seats and the Congress contributing additional support, the alliance currently sits at 112 members. The eyes of the province now turn to the scheduled meetings of the CPI and VCK on Friday, which will determine if Vijay can secure the final few seats needed to cross the majority threshold and begin his tenure as Chief Minister.
