Vijay Reaches Majority Mark As TVK Gets Support From Congress, VCK, CPI and CPI(M)

TVK, with backing from Congress, VCK, CPI and CPI(M), moves closer to forming the Tamil Nadu government following a fractured election result and a renewed standoff with the Governor over invitation and floor testing.

Actor-politician Vijay is now on the brink of a majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, after Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, CPI and CPI(M) declared support for TVK. The new backing follows days of uncertainty and a tense standoff with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar over government formation.

TVK currently has 107 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. Congress has pledged its five MLAs, while CPI and CPI(M) add two MLAs each. VCK contributes another two MLAs. Together, the bloc reaches 118 members, matching the majority mark needed to form a government after the fractured verdict of 4 May.

Tamil Nadu Assembly majority for TVK and Vijay

TVK sources said Vijay has sought a 4.30 pm appointment with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on 8 May. Vijay is expected to stake claim once again, this time armed with written assurances from the supporting parties. A joint press conference by Congress, Left parties and VCK is likely around the same time to publicly confirm their stand.

The consolidation around Vijay comes soon after Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again refused to invite TVK to form the government. The Governor had argued that TVK had not shown clear majority backing. That decision triggered a political confrontation, with opposition parties alleging that the BJP-led Centre wanted to impose "Governor's Rule through the back door".

Congress and the Left parties have repeatedly argued that constitutional practice requires the single largest party to receive the first invitation. They say the Governor should allow TVK to prove support during a floor test instead of deciding the numbers at Raj Bhavan. CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby earlier recalled the 1996 example of Atal Bihari Vajpayee being invited despite lacking an initial majority.

Tamil Nadu Assembly standoff with Governor and TVK strategy

Behind the scenes, hectic talks unfolded across Chennai on Friday as alliances shifted. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge personally telephoned VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan to request support for a TVK-led formation. After that conversation, CPI and CPI(M) leaderships met and formally endorsed Vijay, changing the Assembly arithmetic and reducing uncertainty about the next government.

The evolving numbers in the Tamil Nadu Assembly can be summarised as follows:

Support for Vijay, however, has come with firm messages from alliance leaders. In a sharp statement, VCK leader Sinthanai Selvan accused the BJP of using the Governor's office to unsettle Tamil Nadu politics and warned that democratic norms were being placed at risk. The same statement also carried open criticism of TVK’s conduct after the verdict.

Sinthanai Selvan questioned why Vijay did not personally approach potential partners immediately after the results. Selvan asked, "How are we to understand sending a WhatsApp letter asking for support and then saying 'respond'?" Selvan also alleged that some "second-rung leaders" around Vijay had isolated the TVK chief and nudged Vijay towards needless confrontation.

The VCK leader further objected to what was described as renewed "resort politics" in the state. Selvan referred to reports that TVK MLAs were being kept in a secure location to guard against poaching attempts and instability. According to Selvan, such steps suggested mistrust within the system, even as parties spoke about constitutional propriety.

Despite these criticisms, Congress, Left parties and VCK appeared more worried about possible constitutional overreach by Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge supported demands for a floor test and challenged the Governor’s stand. Kharge said, "It is the responsibility of the Governor to follow due constitutional process. If the largest party claims to have the numbers, they should be allowed to prove it on the floor of the House — not in the Governor's residence, but in the legislature itself."

Priyank Kharge also pointed to earlier examples from Maharashtra and Karnataka. In those states, governments took oath first and then demonstrated their majority during Assembly trust votes. According to Kharge, those cases show that inviting the largest party does not, by itself, violate constitutional norms, provided the numbers are tested quickly in the House.

The present turmoil stems from the fractured result delivered on 4 May. TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, while the DMK-led alliance could not secure another term. On 7 May, Vijay met Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for the second time in twenty-four hours, seeking an invitation to form the government.

After that meeting, Lok Bhavan released a statement claiming the "requisite majority support" had not yet been proved by TVK. The announcement sparked demonstrations by TVK workers outside Raj Bhavan. Congress then called for statewide protests against both the Governor and the BJP-led Union government, arguing that convention was being ignored.

The BJP has maintained that Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar is following the Constitution. BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathy said the Governor would "go by the Constitution and the rule book". Tirupathy suggested that a stable ministry could emerge once supporting parties issued formal letters backing Vijay’s leadership in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Meanwhile, the DMK has tried to hold together its existing bloc. Party sources said outgoing Chief Minister MK Stalin urged allies to remain inside the Secular Progressive Alliance. That appeal suggested that competition for partners was still active, even as several parties publicly signalled a shift towards TVK.

With the alliance tally now reaching 118, Vijay’s position in the Tamil Nadu Assembly appears stronger than at any point since 4 May. The requested 4.30 pm meeting on 8 May and the planned joint press conference are expected to clarify whether Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will invite Vijay to form the next government or insist on further proof before a floor test.