C. Joseph Vijay Claims Tamil Nadu Government Formation: A New Era in Politics

C. Joseph Vijay, the leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, has officially claimed the right to form the government in Tamil Nadu after securing support from several opposition parties. This coalition has pushed his alliance beyond the majority mark in the Assembly, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. Following a meeting with the Governor, Vijay is expected to be invited to form the government, with a swearing-in ceremony likely scheduled for Saturday. This development comes after a fractured mandate in the recent elections, and Vijay's rise to power is seen as a historic moment in Tamil Nadu politics.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 8, 2026, 21:10 IST

Vijay's Historic Claim to Power

Chennai: C. Joseph Vijay, the leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and a prominent actor-politician, has officially laid claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu. This follows his successful coalition with various Opposition parties, pushing his alliance's strength beyond the majority threshold in the 234-member Assembly.

On Friday, Vijay met with Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi at Raj Bhavan in Chennai, where he presented letters of support from his allied parties and independent legislators.

This significant move comes after a period of political instability triggered by the fractured results of the Assembly elections held on April 23, with results announced on May 4.

Sources indicate that the Governor is likely to extend a formal invitation to Vijay to establish the government either later on Friday or early Saturday. The swearing-in ceremony is anticipated to occur at 11 am on Saturday in Chennai.

In the recent elections, TVK emerged as the largest party, securing 108 seats, although it initially did not reach the 118-seat majority needed to govern.

The Congress party was the first to pledge support to Vijay, with its five newly elected MLAs joining forces with the TVK leader.

Later on Friday, the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) also officially declared their support for Vijay's government formation efforts.

With each of these four parties contributing two MLAs, Vijay's coalition now boasts a total of 120 legislators, comfortably surpassing the simple majority requirement.

After his meeting with the Governor, Vijay visited the CPI's state headquarters in Chennai to express his gratitude to the Left party leaders for their backing.

Leaders from the supporting parties emphasized that their collaboration aims to foster political stability in Tamil Nadu and avert any prolonged uncertainty.

In accordance with Election Commission rules, Vijay will need to resign from one of the two Assembly constituencies he won, as individuals cannot hold two seats simultaneously.

These remarkable political developments signify a pivotal moment in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, with Vijay set to become the state's next Chief Minister, just under a year after launching his party into the electoral arena.