Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay met with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday to stake a claim to form the state government [1].
The move signals a major shift in the regional political landscape, as the TVK prepares to take control of the 234-member Assembly [3].
Vijay met the governor at Lok Bhavan in Chennai [4]. This meeting marked the third or fourth time in as many days that the TVK leader has visited the governor [5, 6].
To secure the right to form the government, a simple majority of 118 seats is required in the Tamil Nadu Assembly [2]. Vijay has reportedly secured the support of 120 MLAs [1].
This majority was achieved after the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended unconditional support [1]. Other reports indicate that various left parties also provided the necessary backing to ensure the TVK reached the threshold [7].
Following the meeting on May 9, 2026 [4], the governor's office scheduled the official oath-taking ceremony. Vijay is set to take the oath as chief minister on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at 3:15 p.m. [2, 5].
The transition comes after a period of intense negotiation among coalition partners to stabilize a majority in the house. The support from the VCK and IUML provides the TVK with a slim but functional margin over the required 118 seats [1, 2].
“Vijay has reportedly secured the support of 120 MLAs”
The formation of a TVK-led government represents a significant disruption of the traditional two-party dominance in Tamil Nadu. By securing a coalition that includes both the VCK and IUML, Vijay has built a diverse support base that exceeds the majority threshold, though the narrow margin of 120 seats suggests that the government will remain dependent on the continued stability of its coalition partners.
