New Delhi:
For actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, the high of winning the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election – and bringing the curtain down on Dravidian giants DMK and AIADMK’s 62-year chokehold on the state government – has faded away into backchannel talks and negotiations.
The TVK is now working to put together an alliance to take the party and its 108 seats (which will come down to 107 after Vijay resigns from Trichy East) past the majority mark of 118.
And as part of that effort party functionaries have reportedly met AIADMK boss Edappadi K Palaniswami at his Chennai residence this morning. If confirmed, such a meeting will expose significant rifts within the AIADMK, which contested this election as an ally of the BJP.
What was discussed between the TVK leaders and EPS is unclear. Hedging options, sources suggested the former may have only met the latter to invite him to the swearing-in ceremony.
The party expects to have Vijay sworn in as the next Chief Minister by May 7.
At the top of the queue of parties eager to link up with the TVK is the Congress.
The national party – which has the distinction of being the last non-Tamil party to rule the state (this was back in 1962 when K Kamaraj led it to victory) – has offered its five seats, with some conditions attached. But that will not be enough for Vijay to stake claim to the government.
Sources told NDTV TVK is also looking to regional parties, such as the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which has two seats and is part of the DMK-led alliance, and BJP ally Pattali Makkal Katchi, which has four seats. The Congress’ five plus these six should be enough for the TVK.
Vijay reportedly favours working with these parties since it makes coordination easier.
The Left front’s four seats – two each from the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – are also in play, though both have asked for time till May 8 to decide.
But there is an alternate bloc being lined up – a TVK + AIADMK alliance that will be more than enough for Vijay’s party to form the next government because the latter party has 47 seats.
