Despite backing from the Indian National Congress, TVK remains short of a majority, prompting the Governor to delay his decision and ask the party to firm up additional support.
BY PC Bureau
May 6, 2026: Actor-politician Vijay’s bid to form the next government in Tamil Nadu has hit a temporary roadblock, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar unconvinced that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has secured the numbers required for a majority, sources said on Wednesday.
Vijay, who was expected to take oath as chief minister, will not be sworn in immediately as the Governor has sought clarity on the party’s support base. While the Indian National Congress has formally extended support, additional backing is still being negotiated. Sources indicated that it may take another one to two days for TVK to gather the required numbers.
Earlier in the day, Vijay met the Governor and staked claim to form the government. TVK General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna is also expected to meet the Governor along with the party’s legal team to press their case.
The TVK, which emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, remains short of the majority mark of 118. With Congress’s five seats, its tally rises to 112, leaving a gap of six seats. The party is now looking to independents and smaller parties to bridge the deficit.
Attention has turned to potential allies, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which has two seats, and Left parties such as the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist), which together hold four seats. However, a scheduled VCK meeting has been postponed, and the Left parties have sought time until May 8 to decide their stance.
The broader electoral picture shows a fragmented mandate. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam secured 59 seats, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 47, while smaller parties and independents account for the remaining seats.
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The Governor’s decision has drawn widespread criticism, with several political observers pointing to what they describe as a settled constitutional convention — that the single-largest party or pre-poll alliance should be invited to form the government first, and asked to prove its majority on the floor of the House.
In the current scenario, with only Vijay having formally staked claim on behalf of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, critics argue that Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has little constitutional room to delay the invitation.
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Show of Strength has to be proven during the Floor Test; and not before the Governor. What kind of baffling act is this?
The question remains: Is New Delhi doing its usual ACTS OF HORSE-TRADING to pressure & hijack TVK MLAs to pave way for ADMK (and BJP) to form Government?… https://t.co/W0PgylfrLm
— Pranay Maheshwari (@itspmaheshwari) May 6, 2026
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They maintain that questions around majority must be settled through a floor test in the Assembly, rather than at the Raj Bhavan level, especially when no rival formation has come forward to stake a competing claim.
Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai also weighed in on the controversy, questioning the delay. “Why is the TN Governor (a senior BJP leader from Goa) keeping TVK’s Vijay waiting when no other party has staked claim to form a government? What ‘game’ is being played in Chennai?” he said in a post on social media.
The remarks reflect a broader opposition narrative that the mandate in Tamil Nadu risks being undermined if established constitutional practices are not followed in letter and spirit.
The Congress’s decision to support TVK has sparked sharp political reactions. The DMK, which had contested the election in alliance with Congress, accused it of “backstabbing” voters. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Anadurai alleged that Congress was compromising principles for a share in power.
The BJP, meanwhile, claimed the development signals the collapse of the opposition INDIA bloc. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla described the move as the “last rites” of the alliance, accusing Congress of betraying its partners.
Congress leaders defended their stand, saying the party prioritised the formation of a “secular government” in the state and had given its Tamil Nadu unit autonomy to take a decision.
The dramatic election outcome has upended Tamil Nadu’s long-standing two-party dominance of DMK and AIADMK. Outgoing Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has already resigned after losing his Kolathur seat, marking a significant political shift in the state.
