The Tamil Nadu Congress announced its full support for C. Joseph Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), following the 2026 assembly election results.
This alliance is critical because it provides the necessary numbers for TVK to secure a legal majority and form a government in the state. Without these additional seats, the party could not meet the requirements set by the Raj Bhavan to take office.
Girish Chodankar, chief of the Tamil Nadu Congress, said the party decided to support Vijay to honor the people's mandate in Tamil Nadu. He said the decision reflects strong support from women voters and ensures the public verdict is not betrayed.
The TVK is scheduled to take the oath of office tomorrow in Chennai. To be invited to form the government, the Raj Bhavan statement said demonstrating a majority was "essential" [2].
Numerical reports on the TVK's own seat count vary between sources. One report indicates the party won 108 seats [0], while another states the tally stood at 117 MLAs [1].
Regardless of the base count, the Congress party has pledged five seats to the TVK [2]. This support, combined with two seats each from the CPI, CPI(M), and VCK, allows the TVK to reach the majority mark of 118 MLAs in the 234-member assembly [1, 2].
The move secures the path for actor-politician Vijay to become the chief minister. By aligning with the TVK, the Congress party aims to align itself with the current electorate's preference for the new party's leadership.
“Congress decided to fully support C. Joseph Vijay and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam to honour the people's mandate in Tamil Nadu.”
The decision by the Congress party to support the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam signals a strategic shift in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, where a newcomer party led by a former cinema star has successfully consolidated power. By providing the five seats necessary to hit the 118-member majority threshold, Congress is prioritizing the immediate stability of a pro-TVK government over attempting to lead a fragmented opposition, effectively legitimizing Vijay's transition from entertainment to executive governance.
