Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph "Thapathy" Vijay met with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar to stake a claim to form the state government.
The meeting marks a critical step in the transition of power following the 2026 assembly elections. Because no single party secured an outright majority, the ability to form a coalition will determine the next administration of the state.
Vijay visited Raj Bhavan in Chennai on Thursday morning for a third time to discuss the formation of the government. During the meeting, he offered to prove his majority through a floor test in the assembly, according to reports from the governor's official residence.
In the recent election, TVK won 108 seats [1]. While this number falls short of the 118 seats required for a majority, Vijay said he has the backing of several other parties. These include the Congress, CPI, CPM, VCK, AMMK, and IUML.
With the addition of these allied parties, Vijay said he has the support of 117 to 118 MLAs [2]. This total would place him just at or above the threshold needed to govern the state.
The Governor has not yet announced a final decision on the swearing-in ceremony. Vijay previously sought additional time to coordinate with his allies before this latest visit to the governor.
“TVK won 108 seats in the Tamil Nadu 2026 assembly election”
The situation in Tamil Nadu highlights a shift toward coalition politics where the TVK holds a strong plurality but requires external partners to govern. By offering a floor test, Vijay is attempting to preempt any doubts about the stability of his proposed coalition and pressure the Governor to appoint him as Chief Minister quickly.
