Actor-politician likely to renew claim to form government after securing crucial support amid standoff with Governor
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay moved closer to becoming Tamil Nadu’s next Chief Minister on Friday after securing the backing of the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, taking the TVK-led bloc to the crucial majority mark in the Assembly.
TVK currently holds 108 seats in the 234-member House. With support from Congress’ five MLAs, two each from CPI and CPI(M), it is closer to staking a claim to form the government.
Vijay is expected to meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar later in the evening after his earlier appointment was rescheduled from 4.30 pm to 6 pm. The meeting comes a day after the Governor declined to invite TVK to form the government, stating that the party had failed to establish “requisite majority support.”
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) submitted an unconditional support letter, saying the decision was aimed at “ensuring stability and respecting the mandate of the 2026 elections.”
Behind the scenes, intense negotiations unfolded across Chennai. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly spoke directly with VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan to consolidate support for Vijay.
However, the backing came with criticism. VCK leader Sinthanai Selvan accused the BJP of attempting to create “Governor’s Rule through the back door” and questioned TVK’s post-poll communication strategy. “How are we to understand sending a WhatsApp letter asking for support?” he remarked.
Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge also weighed in, saying, “If the largest party claims to have the numbers, they should be allowed to prove it on the floor of the House.”
Also Read: BOSEM Declares Manipur HSLC 2026 Results: Overall Pass Percentage 88.74%
