TVK wins 108 seats in Tamil Nadu; DMK allies refuse to back Vijay
Synopsis
TVK emerged as Tamil Nadu's single-largest party with 108 seats, but Vijay needs 118 to govern — and every major DMK ally has publicly said no. With no committed support in sight, the state faces a political deadlock that could reshape coalition dynamics across Dravidian politics.
Key Takeaways
TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly , falling 10 short of the majority mark of 118 .
MDMK General Secretary Vaiko ruled out any post-poll support for Vijay, saying alliance partners have no intention of moving towards TVK.
Thirumavalavan affirmed ideological alignment with Left parties and said TVK support has not been considered.
DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth offered goodwill but no commitment, having won only 1 of 10 seats contested.
Vijay has begun consultations with newly-elected MLAs at TVK's Panaiyur office in Chennai.
Stalin suffered a key personal defeat in the election results.
Chennai, 5 May 2025 — Actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections but fell short of a majority, winning 108 seats in the 234-member House against the majority mark of 118. Key allies of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance have since made clear they will not extend support to Vijay, deepening the political uncertainty in the state.
Election Results at a Glance
The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were held in a single phase on 23 April, featuring a four-cornered contest involving the DMK, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), and TVK. Counting concluded on 4 May, with TVK securing 108 seats — enough to be the largest single party, but not enough to govern alone. The result has triggered a scramble for post-poll support that, so far, has yielded no firm commitments.
DMK Allies Rule Out Support for Vijay
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko was unambiguous in his rejection. "There is no intention among alliance partners to move towards TVK," he said, effectively ruling out any post-poll realignment with Vijay's party.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan echoed the same position, stressing ideological continuity with Left parties. "We have been travelling together on a secular political path for a long time and will continue to take major decisions collectively. We have not considered supporting TVK so far," he said.
DMDK Offers Goodwill, Not Votes
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader Premalatha Vijayakanth offered a warmer but equally non-committal response. Acknowledging Vijay's personal bond with her late husband Vijayakanth, she said: "Vijay is like a son of our household and was close to the Captain. We congratulate him on his victory" — stopping well short of a support pledge.
DMDK contested 10 seats as part of the DMK alliance and won only one — Virudhachalam. Premalatha drew a parallel to 1962, when the DMK refrained from celebrating after C.N. Annadurai lost his own seat, suggesting a similar sombre mood prevails now given DMK President M.K. Stalin's key personal defeat in this election.
Vijay Begins Internal Consultations
Amid the political deadlock, Vijay has initiated internal consultations at TVK's Panaiyur office in Chennai, meeting newly-elected MLAs and senior party leaders. TVK needs 10 more seats to cross the majority threshold, and with no firm support in sight, the coming days will be decisive. This comes amid a broader reality: every significant bloc aligned with the DMK has publicly distanced itself from Vijay, making a straightforward path to power elusive.
What Happens Next
Tamil Nadu's political future now hinges on whether Vijay can secure support from independents, smaller parties, or engineer a surprise realignment before the Governor invites a party to form the government. Notably, Tamil Nadu has historically produced high-stakes post-poll negotiations in hung assembly scenarios. The shape of the state's next government — and the future of Dravidian coalition politics — will likely be determined in the days ahead.
Point of View
But political debut and political power are different things. The uniform refusal of DMK's allies to back Vijay is not merely tactical — it reflects deep ideological resistance from Dravidian and Left formations to a Vijay-led government. The more significant detail is Stalin's personal defeat, which weakens DMK's ability to play kingmaker while keeping its alliance intact. Vijay's real test is not electoral arithmetic but whether he can build durable political credibility beyond his star appeal — and fast.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2025?
TVK, led by actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay, emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly after elections held on 23 April 2025. However, TVK fell 10 seats short of the 118-seat majority mark needed to form the government on its own.
Why are DMK allies refusing to support Vijay?
Key DMK alliance partners — MDMK, VCK, and DMDK — have cited longstanding ideological commitments and existing political alignments as reasons for not extending support to TVK. MDMK's Vaiko explicitly stated there is no intention among alliance partners to move towards TVK.
What is DMDK's position on supporting TVK?
DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth acknowledged Vijay's personal bond with her late husband Vijayakanth but stopped short of committing any political support. DMDK won only 1 of the 10 seats it contested as part of the DMK alliance, winning only Virudhachalam.
What is TVK doing to secure a majority?
Vijay has begun internal consultations at TVK's Panaiyur office in Chennai, meeting newly-elected MLAs and senior leaders to explore options for securing the 10 additional seats needed to cross the majority threshold of 118.
What is the significance of M.K. Stalin's defeat?
DMK President M.K. Stalin suffered a key personal defeat in the election results, which weakens the DMK's political standing and complicates its ability to manage alliance dynamics in the post-poll scenario.
