Vijay’s TVK bagged maximum seats (108) but fell short by 10 seats to form an independent government. The alliance option takes centre stage in Tamil Nadu’s government. formation.
On Monday, actor-turned-politician Vijay, Chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged as the only party to bag 108 seats in Tamil Nadu’s 2026 assembly election. Though the party had the maximum no of seats, it didn’t manage to achieve the majority mark of 118 seats, which eventually blocked the TVK’s way of forming an independent government in the state.
Leaving Thalapathy in a critical political stance as he debuts his political career.
TVK’s chief Vijay is set to meet Tamil Nadu’s Governor amidst the fractured mandate, to understand its options of staking a claim to form the government.
As post-poll negotiations intensify across the parties, the Governor is expected to offer two options to the TVK’s chief to form a government.
TVK Emerges as Single Largest Party
According to the Election Commission of India, the TVK ‘s Chief Vijay won 108 seats in the 234-member assembly of Tamil Nadu state. To form the government, the majority number of seats is needed: 118.
After TVK, the Dravidra Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) – led by outgoing Chief Minister M.K Stalin- leads the poll with 59 seats, becoming the second largest party in Tamil Nadu’s assembly election.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK managed to secure 47 seats, and the Indian National Congress emerged with 5 seats.
But since the party has missed the majority number by just ten seats, it needs to seek the cooperation of other political forces.
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Coalition Arithmetic Begins
Alliance-building became essential as Vijay’s TVK fell short of achieving a majority mark in seats. To form its government in Tamil Nadu, TVK must bag at least 10 more seats through post-poll support – possible only through a coalition.
However, the arithmetic is more complex. As Vijay was elected from two constituencies – Perambur (Chennai) and Tiruchirappalli East, where he achieved victory, but as per election rules, he will have to vacate one of his seats.
Reducing TVK’s total number of seats from 108 to 107.
Further, when a party appoints a Speaker in the Assembly, the member typically loses its voting power during a confidence motion, directly affecting the party’s voting strength to 106.
In consequence, the margin increases, making it compulsory for TVK to have the backing of at least 12 or even more lawmakers to clear the majority hurdle. Media reports reveal that TVK has already initiated talks with Congress, whose strength lies in five members, but more assistance from other parties will definitely be required.
Two Key Options Before Vijay
As Vijay prepares to meet the Tamil Nadu Governor, two primary options are expected to be placed before him. The first is to gather support from allied parties and formally submit a claim to form the government after demonstrating majority backing.
TVK will be called upon to form the government if it achieves at least 118 seats, aided by others. But should TVK fall short of the required number of seats, then the Governor will have no choice but to call upon the second largest political party, DMK, for government formation through its own alliances.
The other alternative available for consideration by Vijay would be to try to form a minority government. Under such circumstances, TVK would be able to form its government but would also have to ensure to keep winning its party’s support to rule.
With consultations underway and political negotiations intensifying, the coming days will be crucial in determining whether Vijay can convert his electoral lead into a functioning government in Tamil Nadu.
