Vijay Stakes Claim to Form Government After TVK Emerges as Single Largest Party in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: After emerging as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Vijay, president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has written to the Governor seeking an invitation to form the government.

Although the party has not secured the simple majority required, Vijay has requested that TVK be invited to form the government as the largest single party. According to party sources, in an email sent to Acting Governor Rajendra Arlekar, he stated that TVK has won 108 seats and sought an opportunity to prove majority support. The party has also requested two weeks’ time to demonstrate its majority in the Assembly.

Meanwhile, heavy police security has been deployed outside Vijay’s residence in Panaiyur after his victories in both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies. Vijay is expected to retain the Perambur seat and vacate the other.

The elections dealt a major blow to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which was reduced to 60 seats in the 234-member Assembly. Chief Minister M K Stalin lost in his stronghold Kolathur to TVK candidate V S Babu by a margin of over 8,000 votes.

Vijay won both seats he contested, securing victory by nearly 50,000 votes in Perambur and over 20,000 votes in Tiruchirappalli East in his electoral debut.

The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance managed 73 seats, while the AIADMK–BJP alliance, which had been the main opposition, was limited to 53 seats. In comparison, the DMK alliance had won 159 seats in the 2021 elections.