In a historic shift for Tamil Nadu politics, actor-politician Vijay is set to be sworn in as Chief Minister at 10 am tomorrow. The move comes after the Governor granted him clearance to form the government on Saturday, following a week of intense political manoeuvring. This marks a significant milestone as Vijay becomes the first non-Dravidian leader to head the state in 59 years, leading a coalition backed by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
The breakthrough followed Vijay’s fourth meeting with the Governor in just seven days. Accompanied by senior party figures, he submitted letters of support from 120 MLAs— just over the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly. This support was made possible after the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and both the CPI and CPI(M) broke away from their traditional ties with the DMK to offer "unconditional support" to the TVK chief.
The road to the majority was far from smooth. In its electoral debut, the TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats but fell ten short of a clear majority. While the alliance now stands at 120, the margin remains razor-thin. Furthermore, as Vijay won in two separate constituencies, he will be required to vacate one seat, effectively bringing the TVK’s individual tally down to 107.
The high-stakes nature of the week was underscored by the return of "resort politics," reminiscent of the instability seen after the death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016. To prevent potential poaching or "horse-trading"— an accusation levelled by the AMMK — Congress legislators were moved to Hyderabad, while TVK’s own MLAs were sequestered at a resort in Mamallapuram.
Despite the successful formation of the alliance, the makeup of the new Cabinet remains a subject of intense speculation. Rumours suggest that the VCK is pushing for significant portfolios, including the post of Deputy Chief Minister, though official confirmation has yet to emerge. For now, however, the mood among the TVK faithful is one of jubilation, with supporters gathering outside the party’s Chennai headquarters to celebrate the end of the deadlock with fireworks and cheers.
Also read: VCK backs Vijay, clears path for TVK to form govt in Tamil Nadu
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