Tamil Nadu will get its first ever coalition government as superstar Vijay appears to have secured a majority with the backing from smaller parties. As per coalition modalities, the smaller allies will also have representation in the cabinet - meaning ministerial berths, sources say.

While the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi will get one ministerial post, two will be kept for the Left parties - Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM), they say.

Vijay claims support of 121 MLAs. In TVK's draft letter to the governor, accessed by NDTV, Vijay lists Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), AMMK, and IUML as supporters. 

Making the end of the DMK's alliance with the Congress official, Kanimozhi has written to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, requesting that the seating arrangement of the party's members be changed from their current positions next to their former ally. 

The DMK, with 22 MPs, is the fourth largest constituent of the Opposition INDIA alliance, which has been under strain for some time now and appears to have reached a breaking point with the Congress, which fought the Tamil Nadu elections as part of a coalition led by the DMK, supporting Vijay's TVK to form a government. 

Writing to Om Birla, who is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Kanimozhi highlighted "changed political circumstances" and said the partnership with the Congress had ended.

Sources say Vijay is likely to meet VCK and Left leaders after meeting the governor. 

"At present, TVK is going to gain the full majority. Vijay is going to meet the Governor at 4.30 pm to stake claim to form government," said TVK leader Kamaraj.

#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: TVK leader Kamaraj says, "At present, TVK is going to gain the full majority. Vijay is going to meet the Governor at 4.30 pm to stake claim to form Govt. We are very happy to see that CPI, CPI(M) and VCK have accepted the people's mandate to form the… https://t.co/vgANAXXYN8 pic.twitter.com/ElLjUeozGC

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026

Sources suggest the left will get two cabinet berths in the TVK government, while VCK will get one berth, with its chief expected to be a minister. 

The Congress's decision to side with the TVK, whose electoral blockbuster has spelled the end of DMK rule in Tamil Nadu, has not gone down well among a section of party leaders. Criticising his own party, veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has called it a "dreadful" move that "smacked of low political opportunism".

By deciding to jump ship and join the TVK despite opposing them in the last election, he said, the party has violated Mahatma Gandhi's 1925 maxim that Swaraj should be a government based on morality.

TVK workers and supporters celebrate outside the party headquarters in Chennai, amid reports of CPI, CPI(M), and VCK extending support to the party.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: TVK workers and supporters celebrate outside the party headquarters in Chennai, amid reports of CPI, CPI(M) and VCK extending support to the party. pic.twitter.com/y4XOm222al

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026

Vijay has reportedly presented a support of 113 MLAs, including five from the Congress, but the Governor has insisted that the actor-politician must muster the backing of 118 MLAs.

TVK Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar reached Balan Illam, the CPI headquarters in Chennai.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: TVK Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar arrives at Balan Illam, CPI Headquarters in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/EfFdzK6zbd

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026

 Police detained TVK supporters agitating outside the Lok Bhavan in Chennai.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Police detain TVK supporters agitating outside Lok Bhavan in Chennai, amid the political developments over party chief Vijay's swearing-in suspense. pic.twitter.com/xYPwMRuOVv

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026

Vijay finally has majority, Left and VCK extend support to TVK: Sources

Actor-turned-politician Vijay is likely to meet Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar today at 4:30 pm amid power game. This will be their third meeting since 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election results came out.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "does not want to be associated with any attempt to form a new government in Tamil Nadu."

In a letter, Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran said that the party respects the will of the people of the state and the election results. 

"We believe that the people have not given the BJP any opportunity or power to form the government in Tamil Nadu in this election...Therefore, the Tamil Nadu BJP does not want to be associated with any attempt to form a new government in Tamil Nadu. The party does not want to take any direct part in any attempt to form the government. Furthermore, we inform the people that we will not vote for any party that is involved in the attempt to form the government."

#WATCH | Chennai | When asked if an alliance between the DMK and AIADMK could be formed, AIADMK leader Nirmala Periyasamy says, "These are just rumours..." pic.twitter.com/50969DnYC6

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026

On the political developments in Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, "If we go by the Supreme Court's directives, there should be no President's rule. There are so many cases in which the Supreme Court has clearly said that after the elections, the single largest party should be invited to form the government... Vijay should be given a chance to form the government. If he can prove his numbers in the assembly, then he will stay; otherwise he will have to resign."

"The enemy of the enemy is a friend. Okay! How can enemy and enemy be friends? Historical mistake. Tamil Nadu will never accept it," wrote Congress MP Jothimani on X.

எதிரிக்கு எதிரி நண்பன். ஓகே!
எதிரியும் எதிரியும் எப்படி நண்பன்? வரலாற்றுப் பிழை. தமிழ்நாடு ஒருபோதும் ஏற்காது. #திமுகஅதிமுககூட்டணி.

— Jothimani (@jothims) May 8, 2026

As the Tamil Nadu power game continues, BJP General Secretary BL Santhosh hit out at the Congress. Santhosh said the Congress, which has ditched the DMK and come out in support of the TVK, will end up with egg on its face.

"Only time will tell who will form the government in Tamil Nadu, but one thing is for sure... the Congress will end up with egg on its face," Santhosh wrote on X.

Only time will tell who will form Govt in Tamilnadu . But one thing is for sure …. @INCIndia will end up with egg on its face .

— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) May 8, 2026

Watch #BreakingGround with @VedikaS | Mandate politics: Anti-Vijay front emerging? @ShivAroor @TMVRaghav @Vasudha156 @jsamdaniel @DharanVija47684 pic.twitter.com/8V6aHaOr0l

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 8, 2026

Terming his party's decision to ally with the TVK in Tamil Nadu as "dreadful", veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Friday said it smacked of "low political opportunism" and asserted that if the move facilitates the backdoor entry of a "communal BJP" into the Dravidian state then it would prove to be the worst own goal in the history of political football.

Aiyar said he cannot imagine the fathers of the Indian National Congress blessing such a "politics of expediency".

Speaking with PTI, Aiyar said the Congress' decision to jump ship immediately after an election fought with the DMK to plunge into a relationship with the very TVK that took "us on in the 23 assembly segments we lost and the five we won only days ago", was "dreadful".

(PTI)

The outcome of five state assembly polls has rattled the INDIA alliance, leading to bad blood, disquiet and realignment. There are strong indicators that the Opposition bloc, facing an existential crisis, will break into two or more formations, giving the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a distinct advantage and scope for manoeuvring for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

Paradoxically, the imminent disintegration of the INDIA alliance brings both joy and grief for the Grand Old Party. The Rahul Gandhi-led Congress has reasons to cheer the downfall of a whimsical and temperamental Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and the defeat of DMK in Tamil Nadu, for two very different reasons. 

On Tamil Nadu government formation, DMK MP Kanimozhi stressed on people's decision and called to respect it.

"It is people's mandate, and in democracy, what people decide is supreme. Unfortunately, it is not a very lear mandate, but whatever it is, we have to respect it," she said while speaking to the news agency PTI.

On reports of AIADMK and DMK alliance, she said: "It's a speculation. We cannot respond to speculation. I belong to DMK; I cannot be answering for what the AIADMK says."

DMK is ready to extend outside support to an AIADMK-led government and unlikely to participate directly in the ministry, sources said. DMK, however, has sought ministerial berths for its alliance partners, including VCK.

VCK leaders are said to be engaging with Communists on behalf of the DMK to garner support for an AIADMK. Communists may choose to remain neutral and refrain from supporting either side, particularly in view of the reported DMK-AIADMK understanding.

At the same time, a section of Communist leaders is said to be lobbying internally in favour of extending support to TVK.

Communists will announce their decision around 2 pm.

DMK Chief MK Stalin holds discussion with senior leaders at party headquarters.

KN Nehru, TR Balu, Ponmudi are part of discussion.

"Hum wo nahi jo mushkilo me saath chord de (We are not the ones who abandon each other in times of difficulty)," Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X as he shared a picture with Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee and DMK's MK Stalin.

हम वो नहीं जो मुश्किलों में साथ छोड़ दें। pic.twitter.com/p1EosEJtvV

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 8, 2026

On being asked if an alliance between DMK and AIADMK is possible, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan says, "...I don't think it is possible because we, DMK and AIADMK, are the major enemies in Tamil Nadu politics..."

Tamil Nadu power game does not appear to end anytime soon. Ever since the reports of arch rivals DMK and AIADMK looking at possible reunion to keep actor-turned-politician Vijay out of the power, TVK is getting support from several actors.

"If it's not TVK and if it's going to be anything else but the unimaginable/shellshocking combination of DMK/AIADMK alliance to form the next government , then I as a citizen and voter foresee a disastrous and catastrophic consequential turnout amidst common public," wrote actor Vishal on X.

"Will not go down well with anyone," he added.

If it’s not #Tvk and if it’s going to be anything else but the unimaginable/shellshocking combination of DMK/AIADMK alliance to form the next government , then I as a citizen and voter foresee a disastrous and catastrophic consequential turnout amidst common public. Will not go…

— Vishal (@VishalKOfficial) May 7, 2026

"The people of Tamil Nadu have decided and voted for the person they want as their leader and that has to be acknowledged and respected," wrote actor Sibi Sathyaraj in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The people of Tamil Nadu have decided and voted for the person they want as their leader and that has to be acknowledged and respected!@TVKVijayHQ

— Sibi Sathyaraj (@Sibi_Sathyaraj) May 7, 2026

Left is reportedly "deeply uncomfortable" with AIADMK as it is a BJP ally. Sources in the DMK and VCK said that they cannot allow any "communal" party to be a part of the collaboration.

Even to consider AIADMK, it needs to leave BJP, the DMK said.

Amid confusion over who will form government in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK leader said that his party will come back.

"The public sentiment is there that AIADMK has to come back to power. That may happen in the due course of time with the grace of God," said M Thambidurai.

CPM holds State Secretariat meeting to decide support for TVK or Dravidian allies. The committee will take a final call at 2 PM meet.

🔴#BREAKING | CPM holds State Secretariat meeting to decide support for TVK or Dravidian allies, Committee to take final call at 2 PM meet
NDTV's @jsamdaniel joins @ShivAroor with more details pic.twitter.com/KoU1tazf46

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 8, 2026

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi tore into Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar for not calling on Vijay to form the next government. His actions are "deplorable and unprecedented", Singhvi, also a Supreme Court senior advocate, told NDTV.

"Consider these facts... this is the single largest party... there is no other claimant," he said. "There is an inbuilt safeguard... that you will show majority in the House in 10 or 15 days. Then what is this 'spirit of democracy' in which this governor issues a press note and says he is 'not satisfied'?"

Singhvi also criticised the "conduct of centre-appointed governors of state", accusing them of having "destroyed federalism" and "playing into the hands of the centre as some puppet", making references to showdowns between the previous Tamil Nadu government - led by the DMK-Congress alliance - and then-governor RN Ravi over the latter delaying assent to bills.

Over reports of likely reunion of AIADMK and DMK to stake claims in Tamil Nadu and form government, Congress' Manickam Tagore alleged that this is to "stop Vijay."

"Two Dravidian parties. Lifelong rivals. They united overnight. Not for the sake of Tamil Nadu. Not for the sake of secularism. But solely to stop one man - Vijay. The Congress saw this clearly and walked out. You cannot claim to be a secularist while sleeping with the "B-team" of the RSS/BJP," Tagore wrote in a post on X.

"The concept of a "stable government" is merely political rhetoric used by two fearful parties to safeguard their own power," Tagore added and claimed the Congress made the right decision to switch allies and support TVK.

"Will the DMK finally drop its mask today? Who is the betrayer?" he questioned.

இரண்டு திராவிட கட்சிகள். வாழ்நாள் எதிரிகள்.
ஒரே இரவில் ஒன்றானார்கள்.
தமிழகத்திற்காக இல்லை. மதச்சார்பின்மைக்காக இல்லை.
ஒரே ஒரு மனிதனை நிறுத்த
விஜய்யை.
காங்கிரஸ் தெளிவாக பார்த்தது
வெளியேறியது.
RSS/BJP-யின் B-டீமுடன் படுத்துக்கொண்டு உங்களை மதச்சார்பற்றவர் என்று சொல்ல… https://t.co/3KZJNscFIr

— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) May 8, 2026

In a social media post, P Chidambaram, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha suggested the Tamil Nadu Governor to invite the leader of the single largest party to form the government.

"If, in an Assembly election, no political alliance or political party secures an absolute majority, what is the duty of the Governor? Based on the numerical strength of the Members of the Legislative Assembly, the leader of the single largest party must be invited to form the government. This is the political rule. This is the parliamentary convention," Chidambaram wrote on X.

"The forum where that party's leader must prove that he commands majority support is the Legislative Assembly-not the Governor's House. This is the verdict of the Supreme Court:

1994 (3) SCC 1. I commend the political parties in Tamil Nadu that have articulated and emphasized this rule," he added.

சட்டமன்றத் தேர்தலில் எந்த அரசியல் கூட்டணிக்கும் அல்லது அரசியல் கட்சிக்கும் தனிப் பெரும்பான்மை கிடைக்கவில்லை என்றால், ஆளுநரின் கடமை என்ன?
சட்டமன்ற உறுப்பினர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை அடிப்படையில் முதன்மைக் கட்சியின் தலைவரை ஆட்சி அமைக்க அழைக்க வேண்டும்.
இது தான் அரசியல் விதி. இது தான்…

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 8, 2026

Newly elected TVK MLAs meet at party headquarters to discuss coalition strategy and how to counter a coup.  

TVK leaders express confidence of a positive outcome for party and Vijay.

CPM is set to begin its state secretariat meet at 10 am and decide on supporting either actor-turned-politician Vijay's TVK or the Dravidian coalition.

CPM state committee is said to take the final call at its 2 pm meet. 

In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee shared an image with the text: "Don't betray the mandate. Don't manipulate."

The post comes amid delay in Tamil Nadu government formation. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Governor of attempting to deny TVK its "rightful democratic opportunity" to form the government through "backroom political manoeuvring".

Don't Betray the Mandate, Don't Manipulate! pic.twitter.com/tuwoTqsiDg

— Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (@INCTamilNadu) May 8, 2026

Over 40 AIADMK MLAs have been staying at a private resort in Puducherry's Poorankuppam since Wednesday amid ongoing political developments in Tamil Nadu.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday held a meeting with the newly elected MLAs at the resort.

"Governor is bound to seek clarity on numbers, Congress cannot help TVK cross 118-seat mark," says AIADMK.

🔴#BREAKING | "Governor is bound to seek clarity on numbers, Congress cannot help TVK cross 118-seat mark" : AIADMK
NDTV's @DharanVija47684 joins @reetksahni with more details pic.twitter.com/FeNaVztd8Q

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 8, 2026

The rise of Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam or TVK may spark what has been considered impossible over the last 50 years - an alliance between Dravidian arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK - all to keep the actor-politician out of power. Sources have told NDTV that the Udhayanidhi Stalin faction of the DMK fear that Vijay could bring about a re-run of the years under AIADMK's iconic Chief Minister MG Ramachandran or MGR, who in his lifetime, had never allowed the DMK to capture power. 

The other half of this arrangement, the AIADMK, is ready to consider it in view of its survival, especially in view of its four successive poll defeats since the death of J Jayalalithaa. And the BJP, which comprises the backroom, is interested in keeping the Congress out of power after its alliance with the TVK, sources said.

Tamil Nadu governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar is not convinced that Vijay's party, TVK, has numbers to form the government, according to the sources. But can the governor do that despite TVK emerging as the single-largest party? TVK secured 108 seats, just short of the majority-mark of 118.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has threatened that all of its 107 MLAs will resign if either of the two Dravidian parties -- MK Stalin's DMK or E Palaniswami's AIADMK -- try to stake claim to form government in Tamil Nadu, according to sources. 

Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the architect behind the latest election blockbuster in Tamil Nadu, on Thursday reached out to one more MLA amid growing uncertainty over government formation. The TVK is learnt to have sought the support of Kamaraj S, the lone winning candidate of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), led by TTV Dhinakaran.

The TVK's move comes amid a stalemate with Governor RV Arlekar, who remains unconvinced that the party can run an administration despite falling short of the required majority. The TVK is confident that it would have the required majority by today, party insiders say.

In a strongly worded statement, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Governor of attempting to deny Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam its "rightful democratic opportunity" to form the government through what he described as "backroom political manoeuvring".

The Congress leader alleged that the Governor was acting at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government and not in accordance with democratic conventions or constitutional morality.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party and its puppet Governor are indulging in unconstitutional actions to prevent Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government despite the people clearly rejecting the traditional political order in the State," Selvaperunthagai said in the statement.

Escalating the political confrontation over government formation in Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee on Thursday announced statewide protests on May 8 against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for not inviting Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay to form the next government despite his party emerging as the single-largest formation in the Assembly elections.