In a major political development, Vijay, president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, has staked claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu after emerging as the single largest party in the Assembly elections.
Vijay met R N Ravi at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai and submitted the list of supporting MLAs following his return to the city on Monday afternoon. He is expected to take oath as the Chief Minister tomorrow.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam currently requires support from 10 additional MLAs to cross the simple majority mark of 118 seats in the Assembly. To secure the numbers, the party has been holding discussions with several political groups, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Indian National Congress and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.
Reports indicate that the Congress has decided to support TVK. All five Congress MLAs are expected to back Vijay’s government following a decision reportedly taken during an emergency Political Affairs Committee meeting. In return, Congress is said to have sought two ministerial berths and positions in major state boards and corporations.
The development has triggered sharp criticism from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Party spokesperson A Saravanan accused Congress of betrayal, stating that Congress would not have won five seats without DMK’s support. He described the move as a “stab in the back.”
The Congress DMK alliance had dominated recent elections in the state, winning 38 out of 39 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and all 39 seats in 2024. The alliance, originally active between 2004 and 2013 before briefly splitting over the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, was revived in 2016.
With Congress support, TVK’s tally is expected to rise to 113 seats. Party sources say they are also hopeful of securing backing from other DMK allies, including the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India Marxist and VCK, each of which holds two seats.
If additional support materialises, Vijay’s rise from cinema superstar to chief minister would mark one of the most dramatic political transformations in Tamil Nadu’s recent history.
