Vijay Gets Governor’s Nod To Form Government In Tamil Nadu

After days of political negotiations and efforts to secure majority support, Tamilaga Vetrri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on Friday received the Governor’s approval to form the government in Tamil Nadu after demonstrating majority support in the Assembly.

The development came after Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Lok Bhavan and staked claim to form the government.

TVK had emerged as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections with 108 seats, falling short of the majority mark of 118 required to form the government independently in the 234-member Assembly.

However, the party secured support from the Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), enabling it to cross the majority threshold.

The CPI, CPI(M), and VCK, which won two seats each, extended support to TVK. Along with the five seats held by Congress, the alliance reached the majority mark of 118 seats.

In an official letter, the CPI(M) conveyed its support to TVK for government formation, while the CPI extended “conditional support” to the Vijay-led party in favour of “stable, secular and democratic governance for the people of Tamil Nadu.”

Despite emerging as the single-largest party, TVK had initially received a fractured mandate, remaining 10 seats short of a majority.

Congress later extended support to TVK, ending its long-standing alliance with the DMK and taking the alliance tally to 112 seats.

The delay in inviting Vijay to form the government had drawn criticism from TVK leaders and allied parties, who alleged that Governor Arlekar was delaying the constitutional process.

Several parties had also urged the Governor to invite Vijay to form the government and prove his majority through a floor test in the Assembly.

Earlier on Thursday, the Governor had met Vijay at Lok Bhavan and reportedly sought clarity regarding the number of MLAs backing TVK’s claim.

With support from Congress, the Left parties and VCK, TVK eventually crossed the majority mark in the Assembly.

Vijay, who contested from two constituencies and won both, is expected to vacate the Trichy seat and continue as MLA from Chennai Perambur.

Once he resigns from one seat, the effective strength of the Assembly will reduce to 233, bringing down the majority mark to 117.

The Assembly elections, held in a single phase on April 23, marked a major shift in Tamil Nadu politics, ending the decades-long dominance of the DMK-AIADMK political rivalry.

For the first time in the State’s electoral history, no party secured an outright majority on its own.

Political observers have described Vijay’s electoral debut as a major development in Tamil Nadu politics, with attention now turning to how his tenure as Chief Minister could reshape the State’s political landscape. (ANI)