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With TVK effectively at 107 MLAs and the majority mark at 118, smaller parties have suddenly become crucial in Tamil Nadu’s government formation battle.
Vijay’s TVK won 108 seats but needs 10 more for majority in Tamil Nadu.
After delivering one of the biggest political upsets in Tamil Nadu in decades, actor-politician Vijay now faces the next major challenge — finding the numbers needed to form a government.
His party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged as the single-largest party in the 2026 Assembly elections with 108 seats. However, Vijay himself has won from two constituencies and can eventually retain only one seat under election rules.
While TVK officially won 108 seats, the party submitted signatures of 107 MLAs — including Vijay — to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar while staking claim to form the government. The Governor was also informed about the support of five Congress MLAs.
With the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly standing at 118, TVK currently requires support from additional MLAs to cross the halfway mark.
Tamil Nadu Government Formation Live Updates
The result has triggered intense post-poll negotiations, with smaller parties suddenly becoming crucial to the future government formation in the state.
How The Numbers Stand In Tamil Nadu
The election has dramatically altered Tamil Nadu’s traditional political structure.
The MK Stalin-led DMK, which had dominated state politics for years, has been reduced to 59 seats. The AIADMK secured 47 seats, while TVK stormed to 108.
Among smaller parties:
- Congress won 5 seats
- PMK won 4
- CPI won 2
- CPM won 2
- VCK won 2
- IUML won 2
- BJP, DMDK and AMMK won 1 seat each
The remaining seats went to independents.
Going by the 107-MLA support list submitted by TVK to the Governor, the party requires support from 11 more MLAs to reach the majority mark on its own.
Congress Has Already Backed TVK
The first major breakthrough for TVK came when Congress formally extended support to Vijay’s party after internal deliberations at both the state and national levels. According to media reports, the decision was finalised during a late-night virtual meeting of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leaders.
Congress’s five MLAs take the TVK camp’s tally from 107 to 112, still leaving Vijay six short of the majority mark.
The Congress move is politically significant because the party had contested the election as part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance before backing TVK after the results. Reports also suggest Congress is seeking Cabinet representation in return for support.
Why VCK, CPI And CPM Have Suddenly Become Crucial
Attention has now shifted to three parties — the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI and CPM — each of which has two MLAs.
Collectively, the three parties account for six seats, exactly the number TVK now requires after Congress extended support.
TVK has formally written to all three parties seeking backing for government formation.
VCK said that the party had received an official letter from TVK requesting support. However, a senior VCK leader said that the party would take a final decision at a high-level meeting in Chennai.
The VCK’s position has become particularly important because party chief Thol Thirumavalavan has already indicated that Vijay should be invited to form the government and prove his majority on the Assembly floor.
The CPI and CPM have also not shut the door on supporting TVK.
CPI leaders are expected to convene an executive committee meeting to decide their stand, while CPI(M) is scheduled to discuss the issue in its state secretariat and committee meetings.
CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said: “My party is a part of DMK alliance, and they are meeting to form an opinion, with a decision to be taken in the next 24 hours.”
The parties — CPM, CPI, and VCK — will convene high-level committee meetings on Friday to take a decision on supporting the TVK, which reached out to them formally on Thursday. If all three extend support, TVK’s tally would rise to the crucial 118-mark.
Could TVK Look Beyond The INDIA Bloc?
Even as negotiations with Left parties continue, TVK is also reportedly exploring support from independents and smaller regional outfits.
PMK, with four seats, is being closely watched as a potential player in the post-poll arithmetic. IUML’s two MLAs could also become relevant if negotiations with Left parties become complicated.
Reports suggest TVK has been in touch with several smaller parties as it attempts to build what the Governor described as a “durable government”.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has reportedly sought written proof of support before moving ahead with the government formation process.
Speculation Around AIADMK MLAs
Apart from formal alliance talks, political speculation has intensified around the possibility of defections or outside support from sections of the AIADMK. Some reports have claimed that a section of AIADMK legislators could eventually support TVK, although there has been no official confirmation.
If even a small group of MLAs extends support, Vijay’s path to power could become significantly easier. However, as of now, these remain speculative discussions.
DMK-AIADMK Alliance Buzz Adds Another Twist
Adding another layer to the political drama are reports of discussions around a possible DMK-AIADMK understanding aimed at preventing TVK from taking power.
Even together, however, the DMK’s 59 and AIADMK’s 47 only add up to 106 — still below the majority mark. Such a scenario would therefore still require additional allies like PMK or smaller parties.
The possibility remains politically contentious given the decades-long rivalry between the two Dravidian giants.
Tamil Nadu Witnessing ‘Resort Politics’ Again
The uncertain numbers have also revived a familiar Indian political phenomenon — resort politics.
TVK has shifted its MLAs to resorts in Mamallapuram and nearby areas to prevent poaching attempts. There are also reports that AIADMK legislators have been moved to a resort in neighbouring Puducherry.
The developments come amid intense backchannel discussions, alliance calculations and fears of defections.
What Happens Next?
At the moment, the clearest path for Vijay runs through Congress, VCK, CPI and CPM.
The arithmetic currently looks like this:
TVK: 107
Congress: +5
Finals: +2
CPI: +2
CPM: +2
Total: 118
That would take the TVK camp exactly to the majority mark required to form the government.
But the final picture depends on whether parties that fought the election against Vijay are willing to support him in a fractured Assembly. The next 24 to 48 hours are therefore expected to be crucial in deciding whether Tamil Nadu gets its first TVK government, or heads towards a deeper political deadlock.
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