NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: In a historic shift for Tamil Nadu politics, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay met with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar today to stake his claim to form the next government.
The TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the recently concluded assembly elections, securing 108 seats. However, the party remains 10 seats short of the 118-seat majority mark in the 234-member house.
Election Results: A New Era
The election results have effectively dismantled the decades-long duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK. Notably, MK Stalin has resigned as Chief Minister after a shocking defeat in his stronghold, the Kolathur seat, to TVK’s VS Babu.
Final Seat Tally:
- TVK: 108
- DMK: 59
- AIADMK: 47
- Congress: 5
- PMK: 4
- VCK: 2
- Others (CPI, CPM, IUML): 2 each
- BJP, DMDK, AMMK: 1 each
The Congress Pivot
The Congress party, which contested as part of the DMK-led alliance, made a formal announcement this morning to support the TVK.
- Autonomy: The Congress central leadership granted the state unit full autonomy to decide its stance.
- The Condition: Tamil Nadu Congress in-charge Girish Chodankar stated that support is conditional: “Communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution must be kept out of the alliance.”
- Celebrations: Following the announcement, Congress workers celebrated by bursting firecrackers at the party headquarters in Chennai.
DMK Cries “Backstab”
The DMK has reacted sharply to the development. Party spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai accused the Congress of “backstabbing the people of Tamil Nadu” and “self-destructing” for the sake of two potential cabinet berths in the TVK government.
What’s Next?
While the Congress’s 5 seats bring Vijay’s tally to 113, he still requires 5 more seats to hit the magic number of 118. All eyes are now on the VCK (2 seats), which is currently holding internal discussions, and several independent candidates who may hold the key to the next cabinet.
Vijay’s next challenge will be to prove his majority on the floor of the house as he prepares to lead the state into a new political chapter.
