Vijay’s claim under scrutiny as numbers don’t add up
Government formation in Tamil Nadu remains uncertain after C. Joseph Vijay met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to stake claim on behalf of his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Sources said the Governor is not convinced that the party currently has the required numbers to form a majority government and is likely to seek proof on the floor of the House.
Majority numbers still out of reach
TVK, which has emerged as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections, is still short of the majority mark of 118 seats. The party needs at least 10 more MLAs to reach the halfway mark.
Even with support from the Indian National Congress, which secured five seats, the numbers remain insufficient. There is no clarity yet on whether independents or other smaller parties will extend support.
Smaller parties yet to take a call
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which won two seats, is still holding internal discussions on its next move.
Other parties in the Assembly include the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 59 seats, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with 47, PMK with 4, IUML, CPI and CPI(M) with two seats each, and the BJP, DMDK and AMMK with one seat each.
Congress backs TVK with conditions
The Congress has extended formal support to TVK, with the state unit given autonomy by the central leadership to take a call. AICC in-charge Girish Chodankar had earlier said the party preferred backing a “secular government” over allowing the Bharatiya Janata Party to come to power in the state.
However, the Congress has attached a condition, stating that “communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution” must be kept out of the alliance.
Political reactions intensify
The DMK criticised the Congress’s move, accusing it of betraying the people after contesting the elections together. Party spokesperson Saravanan Anadurai said the Congress was “self-destructing” for a limited share in power.
The BJP, meanwhile, claimed the development signalled the collapse of the opposition INDIA bloc. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla described the move as the “last rites” of the alliance.
Political landscape shifts
The election outcome has significantly altered Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK.
Former Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has already resigned after losing the Kolathur seat to TVK’s V S Babu.
With numbers still uncertain, the focus now shifts to whether Vijay can secure the required support and prove his majority in the Assembly.
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