Tamil Nadu Political Crisis Deepens as Governor Reportedly Refuses to Invite TVK to Form Government

Tamil Nadu politics has taken a dramatic turn after reports claimed that Governor R.V. Arlekar refused to invite actor turned politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), to form the government in the state.

The development has cast serious doubt over the swearing in ceremony that was expected to take place on May 7 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.

In the recent Assembly elections, TVK delivered a strong performance by winning 108 seats with a vote share of 34.92 percent, emerging as the single largest party in the state. However, the party still fell short of the 118 seats needed for a simple majority in the Assembly.

Vijay secured victories from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies. As per constitutional rules, he will have to vacate one seat, reducing the party’s effective strength to 107 and increasing the need for support from at least 11 more MLAs to form the government.

To bridge the gap, TVK has reportedly reached out to the Congress, two Communist parties, and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). After ending its decade long alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Congress officially announced support for TVK.

Governor Arlekar had arrived in Chennai from Thiruvananthapuram earlier this week. Vijay later met him personally at Raj Bhavan and reportedly submitted his claim to form the government. Following the meeting, preparations for the oath taking ceremony had already begun.

However, the governor’s latest reported decision has created political uncertainty across the state and intensified alliance negotiations among regional parties.

VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan stated that the party would take a final call on extending support only after consultations with senior leaders. Reports also suggest that a scheduled high level committee meeting of the VCK has been cancelled for now, despite Vijay personally contacting Thirumavalavan over the phone to seek support.

Since the election results were announced, leaders from the VCK, Communist Party of India, and Communist Party of India Marxist have been discussing a common political strategy.

Political observers believe that Thirumavalavan’s decision could play a crucial role in shaping the stand of both Communist parties and ultimately influence the formation of the next government in Tamil Nadu.

The coming days are expected to be critical as political parties continue intense negotiations to secure the numbers required to prove majority support in the Assembly.