Actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay, also known as Vijay, and chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has formally requested to establish the government in Tamil Nadu. This move comes after securing support from various opposition parties, surpassing the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly. Vijay met with Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi at Raj Bhavan in Chennai to present letters of support from allied parties and independent backers.
The political landscape in Tamil Nadu has been uncertain following the split verdict in the April 23 Assembly elections, with results announced on May 4. Sources suggest that the Governor is likely to invite Vijay to form the government either on Friday or early Saturday, with the swearing-in ceremony anticipated to occur at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Chennai.
Despite TVK emerging as the largest party in the Assembly elections with 108 seats, it initially lacked the required 118 seats for a majority in the 234-member House. The Congress was the first to pledge support to Vijay, with its five newly-elected MLAs endorsing the TVK leader.
In a significant turn of events, the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have officially declared their backing for Vijay’s bid to lead the government. Each of these parties holds two MLAs in the new Assembly, elevating the total strength of the Vijay-led alliance to 120 legislators, comfortably exceeding the majority threshold.
Following discussions with the Governor, Vijay expressed gratitude to the CPI leaders at the party’s state headquarters in Chennai for their support in his government formation endeavors. Leaders of the supporting parties emphasized that their endorsement aims to ensure political stability in the state and avoid prolonged uncertainty.
As part of electoral regulations, Vijay will need to resign from one of the two Assembly constituencies he was elected from, as individuals are prohibited from holding dual seats concurrently. These recent political developments signify a historic juncture in Tamil Nadu politics, positioning Vijay to potentially assume the role of the state’s Chief Minister shortly after venturing into electoral politics.
