Vijay stakes claim as Tamil Nadu CM after securing 120 MLA support
Synopsis
Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay has crossed the majority mark in Tamil Nadu's 234-member Assembly with 120 MLA support, backed by IUML, VCK, Congress, CPI, and CPI(M). Having led TVK to a historic debut as the single-largest party with 107 effective seats, Vijay is now set to stake his claim before the Governor and take oath as Chief Minister.
Key Takeaways
Joseph Vijay secured support of 120 MLAs on 9 May , crossing Tamil Nadu's majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly .
The coalition includes 107 TVK , 5 Congress , 2 CPI , 2 CPI(M) , 2 VCK , and 2 IUML MLAs.
TVK won 108 seats in the 23 April polls but Vijay vacated one seat, bringing effective strength to 107 .
IUML and VCK were the latest parties to formally extend support, submitting signed letters to Governor-in-charge Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar .
TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna confirmed Vijay will soon be sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu .
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay on Saturday, 9 May formally moved to stake his claim as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after securing the backing of 120 MLAs in the 234-member Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 118 required to form the government. The development marks a decisive step in post-election government formation in Chennai, following TVK's historic debut as the single-largest party in the state.
Key Alliances That Sealed the Numbers
The latest addition to Vijay's coalition came from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), whose legislative party leader SSB Syed Farook Basha and deputy leader A.M. Shahjahan submitted a signed letter to Governor-in-charge Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar formally expressing support for a TVK-led government. Earlier in the day, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) also announced its backing for Vijay, further consolidating his numbers.
According to the latest tally, the 120-MLA bloc comprises 107 from TVK, five from the Congress, two each from the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), VCK, and IUML. The CPI and CPI(M) were among the first parties to publicly extend support following the election results, with Congress following shortly after.
Election Results and Party Strength
Tamil Nadu went to the polls across all 234 Assembly constituencies in a single phase on 23 April, witnessing a fierce four-cornered contest among the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), and TVK. Results declared on 4 May saw TVK emerge as the single-largest party with 108 seats.
Notably, after Vijay decided to retain only one of the two seats he had personally won, TVK's effective strength came down to 107 MLAs. This made coalition-building an immediate priority, triggering hectic political activity in Chennai in the days that followed.
Vijay's Move to Approach the Governor
Sources indicated that Vijay sought an urgent appointment with Governor Arlekar before the latter's scheduled departure to Kerala. The TVK leadership is expected to submit letters of support from all allied parties while formally staking its claim to form the government.
TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna told reporters that Vijay would soon take oath as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Celebrations reportedly erupted among party cadres across the state following the announcement.
What Happens Next
With the majority threshold cleared and allied parties having submitted formal letters, the Governor is now expected to invite Vijay to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony date is yet to be officially announced, but the TVK leadership has signalled it will happen soon. All eyes will be on whether the Governor acts swiftly or exercises any discretion in the invitation process — a procedural step that has, in the past, become politically contentious in other states.
Point of View
A state with entrenched welfare expectations and a powerful bureaucratic establishment, is a different challenge from winning it. The speed with which the Governor responds to Vijay's claim will itself be watched closely, given the precedent of delayed invitations in other states. And with the DMK and AIADMK both in opposition, the Assembly floor will be combative from day one.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MLAs does Vijay have support from in Tamil Nadu?
C. Joseph Vijay has secured the support of 120 MLAs in Tamil Nadu's 234-member Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 118. The coalition includes 107 TVK MLAs and 13 from allied parties including Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML.
Which parties have extended support to TVK for government formation?
The Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have all formally extended support to TVK. Together they contribute 13 MLAs to Vijay's 120-member coalition.
When were the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results declared?
Tamil Nadu Assembly election results were declared on 4 May 2025, following polling across all 234 constituencies on 23 April. TVK emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats, later reduced to an effective strength of 107 after Vijay vacated one seat.
When will Vijay take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu?
TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna has confirmed that Vijay will soon take oath as Chief Minister, though an official date for the swearing-in ceremony has not yet been announced. The process depends on the Governor formally inviting Vijay to form the government.
Who is the Governor of Tamil Nadu handling the government formation?
Governor-in-charge Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar is overseeing the government formation process. TVK and its allied parties have submitted signed letters of support to him, and Vijay has reportedly sought an urgent appointment before the Governor's scheduled departure to Kerala.
