R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MAY 8
Tamil Nadu’s breathtaking post-election political drama took a dramatic turn on Friday evening as actor-politician Vijay met Governor R V Arlekar and formally staked claim to form the government, asserting that his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam now commands the support of 118 MLAs — the exact majority mark required in the 234-member Assembly.
Highly placed sources indicated that preparations are underway for Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony, which is likely to take place at 11 AM on Saturday, although an official confirmation from Raj Bhavan was still awaited late Friday night.
- TVK chief meets Governor, claims support of 118 MLAs amid dramatic day of shifting political equations
- Sources indicate Vijay may take oath as Chief Minister at 11 AM tomorrow after high-voltage negotiations
- Governor reportedly rejects request for two-week window to prove majority on Assembly floor
- TVK’s stunning rise continues to shake Tamil Nadu’s six-decade Dravidian political dominance
The rapid-fire political developments capped a roller-coaster day in Tamil Nadu politics that witnessed intense speculation, alliance whispers, backroom negotiations and dramatic reversals worthy of a political thriller.
What began in the morning with widespread buzz over a possible understanding between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam took a sensational turn by evening when the TVK camp claimed it had secured the crucial numbers needed to cross the majority threshold.
Sources said Vijay informed the Governor that he had the backing of 118 legislators and was prepared to form the government immediately. However, the meeting reportedly witnessed tense exchanges after Vijay sought two weeks’ time to prove his majority on the floor of the House.
The Governor is understood to have firmly rejected the proposal, questioning the need for such an extended timeline if the required support had already been secured.
Sources further revealed that Vijay is yet to take a final call on whether leaders from supporting parties will join him in the oath-taking ceremony or whether he will initially be sworn in alone.
The TVK’s extraordinary electoral debut has already rewritten Tamil Nadu’s political history. The party captured 108 seats in its very first Assembly election, effectively breaking the 62-year political dominance of the DMK and AIADMK over the state’s power structure.
However, the celebrations were quickly overshadowed after Governor Arlekar insisted that the TVK submit proof of majority support before being invited to form the government.
Vijay’s repeated meetings with the Governor over the past two days had initially failed to yield a breakthrough, with Raj Bhavan maintaining that a coalition strength of 113 MLAs was insufficient to form the government in a House where 118 is the majority mark.
The Governor had also reportedly insisted on written letters of support from MLA-elects backing Vijay’s claim.
Friday evening’s sudden breakthrough has now triggered feverish political activity across Chennai, with all eyes on Raj Bhavan for the final word on government formation and what could become one of the most dramatic power transitions in Tamil Nadu’s recent political history.
