Governor Not Convinced Vijay Has Majority, No Oath Today: Sources

For the TVK and Vijay, it appears to be the case of 'so close, yet so far'. Two of his potential allies - IUML and AMMK - have made it clear that they won't back the party, hours after the actor-politician met Governor RV Arlekar to stake a claim to form the government, but couldn't fulfil his condition of providing written support of at least 118 MLAs.

Sources in the Governor's office have said that Vijay hasn't been invited to take the oath as the Chief Minister today because he couldn't prove the support of 118 MLAs, the majority mark in the state's 234-strong Assembly.

Despite hectic negotiations with the VCK, AMMK, and an IUML MLA to convince them to side with the TVK, Vijay couldn't muster the requisite support, the sources said, adding the actor-politician has the support of 116 MLAs.

The IUML later released a letter saying it was not part of the TVK-led alliance. TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK wrote to the Governor, saying AIADMK must be allowed to form the government, dashing Vijay's hope of support.

Amid uncertainty, the Congress has sequestered its five Tamil Nadu MLAs in Hyderabad.

TVK MLA Marie Wilson, meanwhile, is still hopeful that Vijay will take the oath as the chief minister on Saturday.

"TVK chief Vijay will be the chief minister, not just for 5 years but for the future also...They should have supported long back. But at the end of the day, we feel very thankful to all the alliance partners," he said.

Asked whether Vijay will take the oath as the chief minister, he said, "You will get the news by late tonight...We are confident."

Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Arlekar in the evening and staked a claim to form the government, declaring that he had the support of 118 MLAs.

Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam swept last month's election; the party won 108 of 234 seats on its debut to break Dravidian giants DMK and AIADMK's 62-year chokehold on state politics. But the joy of that win dissipated quickly after Governor Arlekar made it clear he would not invite the TVK leader to form the government without majority support confirmation.

Two meetings in two days - Wednesday and Thursday - but Arlekar didn't budge. He told Vijay yesterday that he could not run a government of 113 MLAs when the House majority is 118. And he insisted on letters of support from as many MLA-elects.

RECAP | Governor Asks Vijay To Prove Majority, TVK May Move Court: Sources

Vijay, however, had only 108 from the TVK,

The Congress broke from allies Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to contribute five seats in Vijay's alliance, on condition that the politician and the TVK do not ally with 'communal parties' - a reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party that is partnered with the AIADMK. The DMK-Congress split - after three election wins in seven years - generated a bitter subplot to this drama, with each accusing the other of betrayal.

READ | Dumped For Vijay, DMK Wants Congress Lok Sabha Split

The TVK then also opened talks with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Communist Party of India.

All three were also DMK allies and had been in talks with MK Stalin's party over alternative routes to power, including remaining by his side and entering what many derided as an 'unholy alliance', i.e., tying up with his arch-rivals, the AIADMK.

RECAP | AIADMK-DMK Buzz Amid Vijay Suspense: What Next For Tamil Nadu?

Vijay had also sought support from one of two MLA-elects from the Indian Union Muslim League and the lone MLA-elect from TTV Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.

The cost?

Left parties CPI and CPM have announced outside support to the TVK. They will not be part of the cabinet.

The Congress expects two berths for its support.

DMK-AIADMK's 'unholy' alliance

The chaos included speculation of a deal between the DMK and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, two parties that share an ideology - the social justice movement started by EV 'Periyar' Ramasamy - but are otherwise fierce enemies.

Political observers suggested the two big Dravidian parties were driven by similar fears.

For the DMK, this brought back memories of 1977-87, when MGR kept it from winning any election till after he died. And for the AIADMK, it's more recent; sections within pointed to the past decade in which the party lost three consecutive polls to Stalin.

However, the 'unholy' alliance never materialised. In fact, it never moved past speculation, with senior leaders on both sides confiding to NDTV that it could never survive in the face of vehement opposition from ideologues in both camps.

READ | AIADMK Claims 'All Is Well' After Resort Buzz Over 'Pro-TVK' MLAs

There was also brief speculation of a deal between the TVK and the AIADMK, which has 47 seats.

And what about the BJP?

The BJP has denied any role in the stand-off between the TVK and Arlekar.

"It is a fractured verdict... TVK doesn't have a majority. If he (Vijay) proves a majority, then the governor will constitutionally accept it. There is no confusion..." the BJP's state unit spokesperson, Narayan Thirupathy, told news agency PTI.

Thirupathy rejected claims that the BJP had directed the governor to stymie Vijay.

"This is a democratic country. Elections happen here in a democratic way. Mr Vijay of the TVK has more seats. Everything will happen democratically. How can somebody pressure (someone)? These are all political rhetoric. I don't think that is right."