Published May 05, 2026 | 2:24 PM ⚊ Updated May 05, 2026 | 2:24 PM
Vijay is 10 short of 118 required for a simple majority.
Synopsis: C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, but falls short of the majority needed to form the government in Tamil Nadu. With no clear alliance in place, his path to power now depends on securing outside support, navigating coalition negotiations, and proving a majority in the Assembly.
All eyes are on Tamil Nadu after actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single-largest party following the 23 April elections to the state Assembly.
TVK’s victory has all the trappings of a Vijay thriller. Widely considered to be enjoying the limelight that surrounds a successful action hero but not enough to pull off a victory, TVK ended the race with 108 seats in its kitty.
The DMK-led alliance, which sought a second term under the slogan “Dravidian Model 2.0,” could win only 73 seats, while the AIADMK and allies, including the BJP, finished third with 53 seats.
The TVK has now written to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, urging him to invite the party to form the next government, though the organisation is 10 MLAs short of the required 118 for a simple majority in the 234-member strong Assembly.
The party has also stated in the letter its willingness to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly within two weeks.
Will Vijay get the required number to prove majority support?
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If the next Speaker is from the TVK, the party will need the support of 11 more MLAs to prove its strength in the House.
Additionally, Vijay has won from two constituencies, Perambur and Trichy East, and will have to resign from one, most probably the latter. This would reduce the party’s strength to 107, and it would need the support of 12 MLAs.
TVK contested the polls alone, without allies. Therefore, the party would need the support of others currently aligned with the DMK, such as the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the two Communist parties, and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK).
Alternatively, even if Vijay secures PMK’s support, he would still require the backing of parties in the DMK bloc. PMK has won four seats in the polls.
This has triggered intense political debate over Vijay’s possible move.
Ever since launching TVK, Vijay has consistently spoken about “sharing power and governance” as a core principle. Based on this, the party has maintained that any alliance partners would be given a share in power, including representation in the Cabinet.
However, no party allied with TVK during the election. In this context, parties such as the Congress and VCK have begun reiterating their demand for a share in governance.
Notably, VCK leader and Member of Parliament Thol Thirumavalavan stated that the idea of a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, strongly proposed by the VCK in 2016, has now been endorsed by the people a decade later.
He added that while it is disappointing that the secular DMK alliance was not given a mandate, it is equally satisfying that voters had rejected the AIADMK-BJP alliance.
Meanwhile, MDMK leader Vaiko, speaking to reporters, categorically ruled out support for TVK by DMK alliance parties.
At the same time, leaders from the CPI, CPI(M), and VCK, M Veerapandian, P Shanmugam, and Thirumavalavan, respectively, said that their parties would take a joint decision on the issue.
Left leaders also noted that a final decision would be made only after discussions within their respective state committees. They further added that no formal invitation has been received so far from the TVK.
With the neighbouring Kerala rejecting the LDF, the communist parties are out of power in the whole of India.
Interestingly, the Indian National Congress, a key constituent of the DMK alliance, has so far remained silent on both the election defeat and its future course of action.
However, whichever party extends support to Vijay is likely to demand a share in the Cabinet. This could potentially pave the way for a coalition government in Tamil Nadu after nearly 60 years.
Also Read: Actors congratulate Vijay on TVK’s strong debut
Political analyst and professor Arun Kumar felt that TVK is not likely to accept AIADMK’s outside support.
“AIADMK and DMK may not want each other to come to power. In this scenario, the AIADMK could extend outside support to TVK, saying they are opposing a common political rival. However, since the BJP is part of that equation, it remains uncertain whether TVK would accept such an arrangement,” he said.
Kumar noted that parties in the DMK alliance, such as the Congress and VCK, may support Vijay.
Similarly, the communist parties, too, could offer outside support based on a Common Minimum Programme agreement. This, he says, is a realistic possibility at present.
Even if none of these materialise, there is a third option: indirect support.
With 108 MLAs, Vijay could still attempt to form the government. However, he would need to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly within two weeks. On the day of the trust vote, what matters is the number of members present and voting.
For instance, in a House of 234 members, even if 100 MLAs vote in favour, 99 vote against, and the remaining 35 abstain, the TVK would still be considered to have secured a majority.
If none of these scenarios works out, Kumar said, the state may head for fresh elections. However, he argued that such a development would not favour the existing opposition parties.
“If elections are held again, Vijay might win more seats. The opposition parties may not even retain their current strength. A sympathy wave could emerge in his favour, giving him a stronger mandate,” he said.
Kumar added that even if another party attempts to form a government by engineering defections among TVK MLAs, Vijay could dissolve the Assembly and face fresh elections again.
“In that situation, too, Vijay is likely to emerge victorious. The current results themselves indicate the level of strong, almost unwavering public support he enjoys,” he opined.
Also Read: Stalin says DMK will serve as ‘exemplary opposition’
The AIADMK is convening a meeting of party functionaries in Chennai on 6 May to deliberate on the next course of action. Party sources indicated that key decisions will be taken at this meeting on how to build on its electoral performance and what strategic steps to take.
Meanwhile, MK Stalin has said that the DMK will function as a strong Opposition and will continue to work on issues concerning the people.
The DMK appears to have accepted its electoral setback and has begun preparing for its role in the next phase as an active and assertive Opposition.
With no clear majority and alliances still uncertain, Vijay’s path to power will depend on how effectively he navigates negotiations in the coming days.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
