New Delhi: It was a nail-biting finish to the third full day of political suspense in Tamil Nadu on Friday (May 8) for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay. However, there is no clarity yet on government formation in the state.

As per some media reports, he finally crossed the majority mark required to form the government after securing support from the Congress and Left parties. Other reports said he was unable to prove a majority in the 234-member house, meaning that Governor Rajendra Arlekar had denied his bid for chief ministership a third time.

A report in the Times of India said an event in the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai will be held to swear Vijay in as CM and all other leaders on Saturday (May 9). It also mentioned possible attendees including Congress leader and Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. However, a report in NDTV said there would not be a swearing-in ceremony, as he could not prove a majority.

The Hindu reported Vijay visited the governor on May 8 evening with letters of support from 117 MLAs, one below the halfway mark.

NDTV said one of two winning candidates of the Indian Union Muslim League had backed Vijay. This would bring the tally of the TVK alliance to 117.

Lok Bhavan is yet to confirm either development.

Meanwhile, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Friday reportedly submitted a letter to the governor extending support to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami to form the government in Tamil Nadu, making it the first rival bid to the TVK.

The AMMK won one seat and the AIADMK, which won from 47 seats in the recently concluded election, has not staked a claim to government. However, there has been speculation the AIADMK and DMK would forge an alliance to keep the TVK, a newcomer, out.

Nevertheless, the NDA-aligned combination falls far short of the victory margin in the state assembly and the DMK has already said it will back a secular alliance.

The TVK emerged the single-largest party in the recently concluded assembly election with 108 seats. The deadlock over government formation was triggered by Governor Arlekar on Wednesday (May 6), when he declined Vijay's initial claim to form the government, asking him to first submit proof of majority support.

By Friday evening, the TVK had reportedly stitched together enough backing to cross the threshold, with the Congress extending support along with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M).

There appeared to be contradictory claims regarding the decision of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) vis a vis the TVK. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which won two seats in the election, is also expected to support the Vijay-led formation, potentially taking the alliance tally across 120 seats. However, speculation raged through the day over the party's stand.

Late on Friday, after VCK chief Thirumavalavan presided over a high-level committee meeting, the party said in a statement per The News Minute that "certain resolutions have been passed" and Thirumavalavan will make a formal announcement on Saturday.

The prolonged delay in the governor inviting the single-largest party to form the government sparked protests by TVK supporters and criticism from opposition leaders, who accused the governor of overreach.

Developments on Friday

The CPI and CPI(M) on Friday formally extended unconditional outside support to the TVK to help Vijay form the government in Tamil Nadu, while clarifying that they would not join the new Cabinet. Leaders of both Left parties announced their decision at a joint press conference in Chennai and also released letters addressed to Arlekar on X, confirming support for the TVK-led formation.

— CPI - Communist Party of India (@CPI_National) May 8, 2026

Ahead of his latest meeting with the governor, Vijay visited the CPI(M) office in Chennai and met the party’s state secretary P. Shanmugam and senior party leaders, in a key show of solidarity as the TVK raced to secure the numbers required to cross the majority mark in the assembly.

The political developments also reached the Supreme Court on Friday, with a petition seeking urgent directions to Arlekar to invite Vijay to form the government in Tamil Nadu. The plea, reportedly filed by advocate Ezhilarasi P, a TVK member, urged the top court to ensure that no rival formation was given an opportunity to stake claim to power.

(This is a developing story and will be updated.)

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