Chennai: Scenes of jubilation broke out outside the headquarters of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Chennai on Friday after the party secured the support of the two Left parties, significantly strengthening its bid to form the next government in Tamil Nadu.

Supporters who had been waiting anxiously for days erupted into celebration as reports emerged that the Communist parties had decided to back TVK. Leaders from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) also indicated they were likely to follow the Left parties in extending support.

Outside the party office in Panaiyur, emotional scenes unfolded as supporters danced, chanted slogans and celebrated what many described as a historic political turning point.

Among those gathered were a group of women from Kerala’s Idukki district who said they had been camping outside the headquarters for three days despite illness and exhaustion.

“We have been waiting here with fever just to know whether this was the end of the road or the start of something new,” one supporter told PTI Videos, adding that they visited a temple in tears after hearing the news of support.

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Many supporters drew parallels between TVK leader Joseph Vijay and former Tamil Nadu icons such as M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, describing Vijay’s rise as the beginning of a new political era in the state.

Younger party workers and students also joined the celebrations, portraying the election outcome as a shift away from traditional political structures dominated by the state’s established parties.

The election has dealt a major blow to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by M. K. Stalin. TVK secured 14 of the 16 Assembly seats in Chennai and also won in Kolathur, long considered one of Stalin’s strongholds.

Despite emerging as the single largest party with 108 seats, TVK remained short of the 118-seat majority mark and had been engaged in negotiations over support for the past several days. The Indian National Congress has already indicated its support for TVK in order to “respect the mandate” and prevent the BJP from gaining power in the state.

Vijay is expected to meet Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar later on Friday to formally stake claim to form the government. It will be his third meeting with the Governor since the election results were declared.

With the backing of the Left parties, TVK has moved significantly closer to securing the numbers required to form a government. Political observers, however, note that managing a coalition involving ideologically diverse allies could become Vijay’s first major challenge as he transitions from actor to political leader.