Resort politics, secret talks and court: Vijay’s CM dream hits hurdle in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single-largest party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election with 108 seats in the 234-member House.

However, Vijay’s effective tally dropped to 107 after winning from two constituencies, forcing him to vacate one seat. In the resulting 233-member Assembly, the majority mark stands at 117.

The Congress extended support to TVK with its five MLAs, taking the alliance tally to 113 — still four seats short of a majority.

TVK insiders said the party was hoping to secure additional support from smaller parties, including the CPI, CPM and VCK.

Governor reportedly asks TVK to prove majority first

The political uncertainty intensified after Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar reportedly insisted that TVK provide documentary proof showing support from at least 117 MLAs before being invited to form the government.

According to sources, Vijay had hoped to take oath quickly and then prove his majority on the Assembly floor later.

The Governor’s stand reportedly complicated those plans and delayed the possibility of an immediate swearing-in ceremony.

Sources said TVK is now exploring legal options and may move court over the issue. Reports also suggest Vijay is consulting senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Fresh political drama erupted after more than a dozen newly elected AIADMK MLAs were reportedly shifted to a resort in Puducherry.

Sources claimed the legislators were being moved amid fears of political poaching and internal disagreement over whether the AIADMK should support Vijay’s government formation bid.

Reports suggested some MLAs were open to backing TVK, while AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami remained opposed to supporting Vijay.

AIADMK leaders, however, publicly insisted that “all is well” within the party and denied reports of rebellion.

DMK-AIADMK understanding sparks speculation

Amid the uncertainty, reports emerged suggesting leaders from the DMK and AIADMK had begun informal discussions over a possible fallback arrangement if Vijay fails to prove majority support.

According to political sources, one option under discussion is for the AIADMK to form the government with outside support from the DMK and backing from smaller parties.

The DMK secured 59 seats while the AIADMK won 47 seats. Together, their strength stands at 106 seats.

Sources quoted in reports said conversations between the rival Dravidian parties were no longer “just theoretical”.

“The first move came from AIADMK, and DMK did not reject it instantly,” sources reportedly said.

Under the arrangement being discussed informally, Vijay would first get an opportunity to prove his majority in the Assembly. If he fails, the AIADMK could stake claim to form the government with support from the DMK and regional allies.

The Congress decision to back TVK has significantly altered Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.

The move also reportedly upset sections within the DMK, ending a long-standing alliance between the two parties.

A senior DMK leader reportedly criticised the Congress decision, arguing that many Congress representatives in Tamil Nadu had won because of DMK alliance support over the years.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram defended the party’s support to TVK and described accusations of “backstabbing” as unfair.

He said the people’s mandate required that Vijay be given a chance to form the government and warned that refusing support could have created a constitutional stalemate.

Security scaled down outside Vijay’s residence

Amid uncertainty over government formation, security arrangements outside Vijay’s Chennai residence were reportedly scaled down on Thursday morning.

Political activity, however, remained intense across Chennai, with multiple rounds of meetings taking place between parties and alliance leaders.

Meanwhile, Zoho Corporation co-founder Sridhar Vembu weighed into the debate by calling for fresh elections in Tamil Nadu.

“The numbers don't seem to add up. Whatever government is cobbled together is likely to be unstable,” Vembu posted on social media, while suggesting President’s Rule and fresh polls as a possible solution.

The immediate focus now remains on whether Vijay can gather enough MLAs to cross the majority mark before the Governor takes a final decision.

If TVK succeeds, Vijay could become Chief Minister in one of the biggest political upsets in Tamil Nadu history.

If the party fails to prove support, the state could witness an unexpected political realignment involving the DMK and AIADMK — two rivals that have dominated Tamil Nadu politics for decades.
(With PTI inputs)