'Thalapathy' Vijay to take oath as Tamil Nadu CM today? Check who's backing TVK and who isn't as confusion prevails

Tamil Nadu Government Formation: Five days after the results of Tamil Nadu election 2026 were announced, confusion prevailed on Saturday, 9 May on whether or not Vijay will take oath as next chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

As things stand Vijay is two seats short of the magic number – 118.

After Vijay's three meetings with the Governor and staking claim for forming the next government, an official word for an oath-taking was awaited even as preperations were underway at Chennai's Nehru Stadium for the much-awaited event.

Soon after ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay met acting Governor of Tamil Nadu Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan on Friday, 8 May, many leaders in Chennai said he will take oath as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) secured crucial support from allies and crossed the required majority mark in the 234-member Assembly.

But hours later, as it turned out the Vijay was still scrambling to cross the 118-seat majority mark in Tamil Nadu, three days after the results were declared.

Vijay met acting Governor of Tamil Nadu Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan, where he formally staked claim to form the government after consolidating support from multiple parties following the fractured mandate in the recently concluded Assembly elections. The Governor was not convinced with numbers in support of Vijay in earlier two meetings.

The TVK, which emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats, had fallen short of the majority mark of 118 required to form the government independently. However, with the support of Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the party has successfully crossed the majority threshold.

The VCK party will make official annoucement today, 9 May Similarly, there is no clarity yet on IUML support.

Governor's office said that Vijay has not been invited to take oath as CM, NDTV reported, citing sources. This because he has not been able to show the support of 118 MLAs, the magic number.

The CPI, CPI(M) which won 2 seats each, extended their support to TVK, taking the tally of the party to the majority mark of 116 in the 234-member assembly, along with the 5 seats from Congress.

CPI State Secretary Veerapandian said the Left parties have given their support of 6 MLAs to Vijay's TVK as it is their ‘demoractic duty’. “TVK is the single-largest party. It needs 6 MLAs to form the Govt. We have given 6 MLAs of CPI, CPI(M) and VCK. We have given our support; it is our democratic duty. This is a people's democracy. We will stand with democracy, we will stand with people,” he told nes agencies.

Fractured Mandate

Despite emerging as the single-largest in the Assembly elections, TVK recieved a fractured mandate of 108, falling short of 10 seats to clear the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member assembly.

TVK president and actor Vijay contested in two constituencies and won both. He is expected to resign in Trichy and continue as MLA from Chennai Perambur assembly constituency. With Vijay also to step down from one of the two seats he won in the assembly polls, the effective strength of TVK in the assembly will become 117.

The Congress, with its 5 seats, extending partnership to TVK, ending a years-old alliance with DMK, took the TVK's tally to 112.

Ending DMK-AIADMK rule

The results of the Tamil Nadu elections, conducted in a single phase on April 23, witnessed the historic emergence of a party led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, bringing to an end the DMK-AIADMK three- decade-old 'duopoly'.

However, since Independence, in every Assembly election, either the Congress, DMK, or AIADMK has secured a clear majority and formed the government independently. For the first time in Tamil Nadu's history, no party reached the majority mark of 118 seats. And it will be first time in six decades that Tamil Nadu will bet a non-DMK-non-AIADMK leader as its chief minister.

Vijay is MGR 2.0?

No wonder , while some crushed over Thalapathy, others saw an image of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in him for Vijay's political debut has been nothing short of spectacular in the state politics. Some even compared him with former Tamil Nadu CM MG Ramachandran, who was popular as MGR as an actor before becoming a politician. Other drew parralels with NT Rama Rao – the legendary actor-turned-politician who served as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for over seven years across four terms.

The time shall now unveil what the tenure of Vijay as Chief Minister means for Tamil Nadu.

Here is the party-wise allocation as Vijay is set to take oath tomorrow at 11 am in Chennai

Assembly Seats in Tamil Nadu: 134

Majority Mark: 118

Vijay+Others

TVK: 107 (excluding one of two seats won by Vijay).
Congress: 5
CPI: 2
CPIM: 2

TOTAL Supporting Vijay: 116

IUML: 2 (Not Clear)
VCK: 2 (Not Clear)

Opposition

DMK: 59

AIADMK: 47

BJP: I

PMK: 4

DMDK: 1

AMMKMNKZ: 1

(With agency inputs)