From 107 to 120: Inside political see-saw that kept Vijay away from Tamil Nadu CM chair for 5 days | India News
The march to victory in Fort St. George may finally cross the halfway mark, but only after five days of intense backroom talks, political wrangling and a long wait for letters of support that left the Tamilga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) hanging just below the majority line.Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Kachi (VK) finally supported two of its MLAs, taking the TVK-led alliance’s tally to 119.But effectively it is 118 as Vijay contested from two constituencies and as per the rules one has to be zeroed out, so that TVK’s tally is 107.
Soon after the VC supported TV, two Indian Union Muslim Leagues (IUML) also supported Vijay’s party.With this, TVK (107) now has the support of Congress (5), CPI (2), CPM (2) and VCK (2), IUML (2), taking the majority figure from 118 to 120.
TVK leader Adhav Arjuna met VCK chief Thirumabhavan in Chennai on Saturday.
For actor-politician C Joseph Vijay, the days following the May 4 Tamil Nadu assembly election results were less about celebration and more about the arithmetic of survival.TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, putting Vijay within striking distance of the chief minister’s chair but still 10 short of the 118 majority mark.What followed was a high-voltage political scene with DMK, AIADMK, Left parties, Congress, VCK and even a late-night visit to the Raj Bhavan.
TVK reel in the booty
At the center of the uncertainty was Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Kachi (VK) chief Thol Thirumabhavan.While the Congress quickly backed the TVK with five MLAs, the VCK adopted a cautious wait-and-see approach, delaying a formal announcement despite frequent speculation that it would eventually back Vijay. The dilemma kept TV in suspense for nearly five days and forced Vijay’s camp to keep communication channels open with multiple political players simultaneously.
Parallel power play
The uncertainty deepened as parallel power games unfolded across Chennai.Soon after the results were announced, senior AIADMK leaders SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam reportedly explored the possibility of engineering support for victory by trying to get enough AIADMK MLAs to cross the two-thirds threshold under anti-defection provisions.The proposal reportedly included a demand for seven ministerial posts and one deputy chief minister post in a possible TVK-led government.At the same time, another political axis was taking shape.
Spree of twists
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) reportedly opened channels with the DMK leadership to explore the possibility of dissuading Vijay from assuming office entirely.The proposal allegedly involved a DMK-backed AIADMK government, an idea that triggered intense backchannel discussions within the Dravidian ecosystem.As speculation intensified, Palaniswami moved quickly to quell any rebellion within his party. AIADMK MLAs were shifted to resorts in Puducherry and cut off from communication in a scene reminiscent of Tamil Nadu’s earlier resort-politics era. The party has publicly denied extending support to TVK “under any circumstances”.Meanwhile, Vijay’s camp was locked in endless negotiations.Between May 4 and May 6, TVK leaders Basi Anand, Aadhav Arjun and strategist John Arokiyasamy are said to have held multiple rounds of talks with the Velumani-Shanmugam group. Yet the talks never progressed, especially since the Congress had already submitted a letter of support to the TV.The real suspense, however, revolves around the DMK alliance partners.
The Left supports Vijay
While the CPI and CPM gradually moved towards supporting Vijay, the VC refused to commit immediately. Even as Left parties publicly supported TVK on Friday to prevent what the CPM described as the “backdoor entry of the BJP” through Governor’s rule, Thirumabhavan continued to extend formal support. That hesitation kept Vijay very short.
A big gap
By Friday night, TVK had the support of 117 legislators, just one short of the majority mark. Rumors were rife that the Indian Union Muslim League would bridge the gap and pave the way for Saturday’s swearing-in ceremony. But IUML initially refused to support TV, adding new uncertainty to an already volatile situation with late-night dramas.Later, AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran met Governor RV Arlekar and demanded to invite Palaniswami to form the government. He also alleged that his only MLA had become out of touch and accused the TV of horse-trading before later claiming fake support letters had caused panic.Through it all, the VCK maintained strategic ambiguity.Even as the CPI and CPM swept to victory, Thirumabhavan met outgoing chief minister MK Stalin at his residence on Friday night, reportedly discussing an “amicable split” from the DMK-led alliance. However, there was no immediate official commitment from the VCK camp. However, the deadlock was finally broken on Saturday.Thirumabhavan declared “unconditional support” to TVK, taking Vijay’s tally to a crucial 118. Soon, the Tamil Nadu unit of the IUML also extended support to the party, effectively ending the days of uncertainty over whether Vijay would be able to muster enough numbers to demand government formation.For Vijay, the episode was an early lesson in coalition-era politics. The actor who took Tamil Nadu politics by storm with a massive electoral debut discovered that emerging as the single-largest party is only half the battle.
