TVK chief Vijay met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on May 9, 2026, to stake his claim to form the Tamil Nadu government.
The meeting marks a pivotal shift in state leadership as the TVK seeks to transition from the single-largest party to the governing power. This development follows a period of coalition negotiations to ensure a stable majority in the 234-member Assembly.
Vijay met the governor at Lok Bhavan in Chennai for the fourth time to finalize the government formation process [2]. The TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, winning 108 seats [1].
To cross the majority mark of 118 MLAs [4], Vijay secured written support from coalition partners, including the VCK, and IUML [1, 4]. While reports on the exact number of supporting MLAs vary, figures range from 117 [4] to as many as 121 [3]. Other reports place the total support at 120 MLAs [1].
The governor's role is critical in verifying these claims of support before the formal swearing-in ceremony. The coalition's ability to maintain this numerical advantage will determine the stability of the upcoming administration.
Vijay's move to meet the governor follows the extension of formal support from the VCK, which provided the necessary numbers to exceed the 118-seat threshold [1, 4]. The TVK chief's repeated visits to Lok Bhavan indicate a concerted effort to resolve the government formation deadlock quickly.
“TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, winning 108 seats”
The transition of TVK from a political challenger to the leading party of a coalition government represents a significant realignment of power in Tamil Nadu. By securing the support of parties like the VCK and IUML, Vijay has moved beyond his own party's 108 seats to meet the constitutional requirement for a majority, potentially ending the legislative stalemate.
