Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday to formally submit a fresh claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu. The development follows the Congress party's decision to terminate its alliance with the DMK and pledge its five assembly seats to the TVK. Vijay informed the Governor that his party possesses the necessary numbers to prove a majority on the assembly floor and submitted a detailed report to support the claim.

The TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the assembly elections, winning 108 of the 234 seats. However, the effective strength of the TVK-Congress combine stands at 112 seats, as Vijay must vacate one of the two seats he won in Perambur and Trichy East. The alliance remains five seats short of the 117-seat majority mark. In response to the shortfall, the TVK is seeking support from smaller parties including the VCK, Left parties, and the IUML, who are currently part of the DMK-led bloc.

The DMK has reacted sharply to the realignment, with spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai accusing the Congress of betraying the public mandate. Meanwhile, Congress leadership defended the move, stating the alliance with TVK is based on mutual respect and shared responsibility. To secure its current numbers, the TVK has moved several of its newly elected legislators to a resort in Mamallapuram as negotiations with potential allies continue.

Raj Bhavan sources indicate that the Governor is currently assessing the validity of the TVK's support claims before extending an invitation. The VCK is expected to hold a high-level meeting on May 7 to decide whether to join the TVK-led coalition.