C.J. Joseph Vijay, chief of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), met with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday to stake a claim to form the Tamil Nadu government.
The move signals a potential shift in regional power as a new political force seeks to lead the state through a coalition with established national and left-wing parties.
Vijay traveled to Lok Bhavan, the official residence of the governor in Chennai, to present evidence of support from the Indian National Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM). The TVK secured 108 seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly [1].
While the TVK did not secure a clear majority on its own, the party has formed an alliance with the Congress party, which won five seats [1]. This combined tally of 112 seats is considered sufficient to form a majority government [1].
K. Selvaperunthagai, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President, said the Congress will be part of the government likely to be formed by the Vijay-led TVK. He said that the party has been offered two ministerial berths and one Rajya Sabha seat.
The CPI also expressed support for the transition. The party said that the governor must act in line with the Constitution, noting that while the people did not deliver a clear mandate, TVK emerged with 108 seats [2].
This political maneuvering follows the dissolution of the 16th Legislative Assembly on May 5 [3]. Reports regarding the timing of the official transition vary. One report said Vijay would take the oath of office at 11 a.m. on Saturday [1], while other reports indicated that no ceremony had been scheduled because the TVK fell short of a majority independently [2].
Vijay had previously arrived at Lok Bhavan on Wednesday evening as preliminary discussions regarding government formation began [3].
“"The Governor must act in line with the Constitution."”
The emergence of the TVK as a dominant force in Tamil Nadu disrupts the traditional bipartisan competition between the DMK and AIADMK. By securing a coalition with the Congress and left-wing parties, Vijay is attempting to legitimize his party's transition from a new political entity to a governing power, though the lack of an outright majority may lead to challenges in legislative stability.
