07 May,2026 02:26 PM IST | Chennai | mid-day online correspondent
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay during a meeting, at Lok Bhavan, in Chennai, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday asked Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay to submit a list of supporting Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and demonstrate the numbers required to prove majority during their second meeting at Lok Bhavan, sources told news agency ANI.
According to the sources quoted above, the Governor sought complete clarity on the magic number for government formation and wanted details of all legislators backing TVK's claim.
Vijay, who met the Governor for the second consecutive day, is not inclined to seek support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sources added. After the meeting, he held consultations with senior TVK leaders and legal advisors at his residence in Neelankarai.
Some senior leaders have reportedly advised the party to explore legal options by approaching the Supreme Court or the Madras High Court. A section of leaders also suggested the possibility of going for fresh elections if required.
TVK has staked claim to form the government with the support of the Congress, which has five MLAs. However, the alliance is still short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. With Vijay set to vacate one of his two seats, TVK's effective strength will be 107, taking the alliance's total to 112.
Earlier in the day, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan urged the Governor to invite Vijay to form the government and allow him to prove his majority on the floor of the House.
"TVK has been chosen as the single largest party by the people. Therefore, he should be allowed to take office. That is the guidance provided by the Constitution," Thirumavalavan said.
The Tamil Nadu unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) also asked the Governor to follow constitutional conventions and termed it "inappropriate" to ask Vijay to prove majority before being sworn in. CPI(M) leader P Shanmugam said his party received a support letter from Vijay and the issue would be discussed in the state committee meeting.
This comes amid continuing political uncertainty in Tamil Nadu after the April 23 assembly polls, where TVK emerged as the single largest party, ending the long-standing DMK-AIADMK duopoly.
(With ANI inputs)
