Vijay Edges Past Majority Mark, Set to Be Tamil Nadu's Next Chief Minister

Four days of tense political brinkmanship in Tamil Nadu came to a head on Friday as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay finally crossed the all-important majority mark in the 234-member Assembly , with the CPI, CPI(M) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) extending unconditional outside support to his party.

The CPI, CPI(M) and VCK each hold two seats, and their backing alongside TVK’s 108 seats and Congress’s five brought the formation’s combined strength to 119 , just one above the majority threshold of 118 . With the Governor now accepting TVK’s claim, Vijay is expected to take oath as Chief Minister in the coming days, marking a dramatic rise for the actor-turned-politician in his maiden Assembly election.

The CPI legislature party confirmed it was extending support to TVK in the interest of stable, secular and democratic governance. At a press conference on Friday evening, CPI and CPI(M) leaders said they would back TVK from outside, would not participate in the Cabinet, and would remain politically aligned with the DMK . They stated the move was to prevent the BJP from indirectly coming to power.

Contrary to initial reports, IUML national president Prof KM Kader Mohideen denied backing TVK, saying the party would remain with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and extend support only to that front.

The Governor had repeatedly delayed inviting TVK, insisting the party prove majority support, a move criticised by Left parties as against constitutional and democratic norms . DMK leader TKS Elangovan said the party would wait until the Governor’s May 10 deadline before taking any further step.

The week also saw sharp political clashes. The DMK accused the Congress of “betrayal” for shifting support after elections, while alleging it acted against alliance interests.

Meanwhile, an unusual move came from the AIADMK , which proposed forming an alternative government with DMK support , but MK Stalin rejected the idea outright, saying TVK should be allowed to govern.

The April 23 election saw a record 85.1% voter turnout , delivering a fractured mandate. TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats , ending a 59-year Dravidian dominance , while DMK won 59 seats and AIADMK 47.

Vijay , who won from two constituencies, will vacate one seat as per election rules. His swearing-in is expected to mark a historic political shift in Tamil Nadu.