With Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar making it clear to TVK chief Vijay for the second time in 48 hours that he would need to get majority numbers
– or, in any event, letters of support from the majority of MLAs – it is now evident that Vijay, who is also exploring legal options after having consulted top lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, will have to drum up support. Singhvi on Thursday spoke about constitutional precedence in such a situation and the guidelines of the Sarkaria Commission, which state that the single largest party must necessarily be called to form the government. With this legal advice given, will Vijay knock on the doors of the constitutional courts? It is now an important question. Tamil Nadu Government Formation 2026 Live Updates After the governor's statement, it also becomes incumbent upon TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam) to reach out to the other allies of the erstwhile DMK-Congress alliance. At least two of the three parties — the VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi), the CPI, and the CPM — have condemned what the governor is doing in terms of not inviting TVK to form the government despite being the single largest party. However, they have stopped short of actually declaring support for Vijay in the event of a floor test. Meanwhile, CTR Nirmal Kumar, leader of the TVK, visited the offices of the CPI and the CPM to formally request their support, a development being seen as significant. The parties have said they will respond to this request soon. VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan is largely seen as the leader of this bloc of the three smaller parties. The key question is: If the three parties do extend their support of six MLAs, and if Vijay and the Congress together have majority numbers, will they be able to go together, form an alliance, and stake claim – with Vijay then swearing in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu? That is the big question everyone is waiting to have answered. Tamil Nadu's 234-seat assembly produced a hung verdict on May 4, 2026 – the first in the state's history. TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats but fell short of the majority mark of 118. The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance was reduced to 73 seats, with the DMK winning 59 and the Congress five. The NDA won 53 seats, with the AIADMK securing 47 and the BJP one. Congress then formally broke its 11-year alliance with the DMK and extended conditional support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay's tally and taking the TVK-Congress bloc to 113 — still five short of the majority mark of 118. The VCK, CPI, and CPM — former DMK alliance partners — hold the remaining seats that could tip the balance. That is the arithmetic Vijay is now working against. The resort drama reaches Puducherry… Also, all eyes are on Puducherry, where ADMK MLAs are holed up in a resort with CT Shanmugam, who is believed to be shepherding these MLAs and trying to cobble up 2/3 numbers to avoid attracting anti-incumbency laws. Shanmugham is also believed to have a close relationship with TVK leader Sengottian, as they were both in the cabinet of the erstwhile AIADMK in the state. E Palaniswami is also believed to be visiting the Puducherry resort where these MLAs are staying. But what the outcome will be if two-thirds of the AIADMK MLAs are able to split and avoid anti-defection laws — and whether TVK will be willing to accept the support of these AIADMK MLAs — remains a big question. The AIADMK's argument has been that if TVK has only a slender majority of one or two MLAs, the stability of the government cannot be assured, and that stability can only be provided by the AIADMK. Meanwhile, there is speculation about the possibility of an AIADMK-DMK alliance. This has been officially denied by the DMK, including by Chief Minister Stalin, who has said the DMK will sit in opposition for now. What will happen in Tamil Nadu remains an open question. The possibility of things moving forward now rests on whether TVK can successfully approach the relatively smaller political parties in the state, bring them together, and cobble together the numbers to make up for any shortfall in their alliance. Whether they will succeed remains to be seen. Tamil Nadu has seen many cliffhangers. This one has a film star, who is now a real-life Jana Nayagan, at the centre. The ending, for once, is not scripted.
