Vijay at the centre of Tamil Nadu battle: Why Khushbu, Kamal Haasan and Chidambaram backing TVK

Chennai: Tamil Nadu is witnessing one of its most dramatic political moments in decades after actor-turned-politician Vijay led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam to a stunning electoral debut. TVK emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections with 108 seats, shaking the long-standing dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

However, despite the massive victory, TVK remains short of the 10 MLA’s to meet the 118-seat majority mark required to form the government independently. This has triggered intense negotiations, constitutional debates and political uncertainty across the state. With no alliance crossing the majority line, the battle has now shifted from election rallies to behind-the-scenes political strategy.

Following Vijay’s meeting with the Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, no immediate invitation was extended for him to form the government, with the Raj Bhavan indicating that clarity on majority support would be required before any decision. In response, TVK is reported to be preparing to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that as the single largest party it should be considered for government formation.

At the same time, the post-poll political landscape remains unsettled. Congress is not aligning with TVK, while AIADMK has also stayed away from any formal support arrangement. Meanwhile, there are emerging reports of possible backchannel discussions between DMK and AIADMK, adding another layer of uncertainty to the situation.

Within TVK MLAs reportedly suggesting they may resign if another party is allowed to form the government despite the current seat position. The overall scenario has now evolved into a complex constitutional and political standoff involving multiple competing claims and shifting alliances.

Vijay’s rise changes Tamil Nadu’s political landscape

For decades, Tamil Nadu politics was largely dominated by the DMK and AIADMK. Shaped by key leaders such as M. K. Stalin leading the DMK and Edappadi K. Palaniswami representing the AIADMK, alongside earlier icons like M. Karunanidhi, J. Jayalalithaa and M. G. Ramachandran who defined the state’s political legacy. In recent years, Vijay’s rapid rise through Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has begun to disrupt this long-established two-party structure, creating a new and emerging political force in the state.

Political observers say Vijay successfully converted his massive fan base into a disciplined political movement. His campaign focused heavily on youth outreach, corruption allegations, welfare promises and anti-establishment messaging. The election results suggest that large sections of first-time voters and urban middle-class voters shifted towards TVK.

The scale of TVK’s performance has surprised even seasoned political analysts. Many expected Vijay to emerge as a strong opposition force, but few predicted that he would become the single largest party in his very first Assembly election.

Why Khushbu Sundar backed Vijay

Khushbu Sundar, Actress and producer who currently serves as the Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu became one of the latest prominent voices to publicly support Vijay amid the government formation crisis. In a social media statement, she argued that once the people have elected their leader, that leader should be allowed to govern.

Her comments quickly gained attention because she currently belongs to the BJP while also sharing a close personal bond with Vijay. Khushbu’s husband, filmmaker Sundar C, had contested the election from Madurai with NDA backing but lost.

Before the elections, Sundar C had openly spoken about the strong family-like relationship between Khushbu and Vijay, describing Vijay as her younger brother.

P. Chidambaram invokes constitutional tradition

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also strongly backed Vijay’s right to be invited first to form the government.

Chidambaram argued that parliamentary tradition and constitutional practice require the Governor to call the leader of the single largest party in a hung Assembly. According to him, the question of majority should be tested on the Assembly floor and not decided inside the Raj Bhavan.

He referred to Supreme Court principles linked to government formation and stressed that elected representatives in the Assembly should determine who commands majority support.

Interestingly, Chidambaram had earlier congratulated Vijay immediately after the results, calling TVK’s emergence historic and accepting the people’s verdict.

Cinema personalities rally behind TVK chief

Support for Vijay has also poured in from several major names in Tamil cinema and politics. Kamal Haasan, a legendary Indian filmmaker and politician, currently serving as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) for Tamil Nadu as criticised the delay in government formation and described it as disrespectful to the mandate delivered by voters. 

Actor Vishal questioned why Vijay was not being given the first opportunity to prove his majority, while actor Prakash Raj also publicly backed the TVK leader.

The strong backing from cinema personalities reflects Vijay’s deep influence within the Tamil film industry, where he remains one of the state’s biggest stars even after formally entering politics.

What happens next in Tamil Nadu?

TVK is currently attempting to gather support from parties including the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.

At the same time, speculation continues over possible political manoeuvres involving the DMK and AIADMK to prevent Vijay from taking power. Political discussions and alliance calculations are intensifying behind closed doors as every seat becomes crucial.

The coming days are expected to decide whether Vijay can transform his electoral momentum into actual political power or whether Tamil Nadu will witness a prolonged coalition struggle. Either way, the 2026 election has already reshaped the state’s political history and firmly established Vijay as one of the most influential new figures in Indian politics.