Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 8 : In a move that marks a historic turning point in Tamil Nadu politics, Thalapathy Vijay, chief of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is set to be sworn in as the state's new Chief Minister tomorrow morning.
The announcement came following a high-stakes meeting at the Raj Bhavan, where the Governor officially invited the actor-turned-politician to form the government. The transition was solidified by the crucial backing of the CPI(M), signalling a new coalition dynamic in the state assembly.
Speaking to ANI, CPI(M) leader K Balakrishnan confirmed the timeline and the sequence of events that unfolded today. Following the submission of support letters, the Governor officially requested Vijay to lead the new administration.
Immediately after leaving the Raj Bhavan, Vijay visited the CPI(M) headquarters to personally thank the leadership for their alliance and support. The swearing-in is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 AM.
"Tomorrow morning by 11 am, the swearing-in ceremony is going to take place. Invitation and other things will be sent before that. We have given the letter in support. He (TVK chief Vijay) went to the Governor, and the Governor asked him to form the Govt. Immediately after that, he came to our office to convey his thanks for our support," he said.
Following the support extended by CPI (M) to form the DMK government, TVK leader C Joseph Vijay met with Left political secretariat member K Balakrishnan, U Vasuki, state secretary P Shanmugam, and other leaders to express his thanks.
During this event, CPI (M) central committee members P Sambath, N Gunasekaran, K Balabharathi, All India Control Commission chairman G Ramakrishnan, senior leader TK Rangarajan, and MLA R Selvaswami were present alongside.
CPI State Secretary Veerapandian called it the "democratic duty" of the left parties and VCK to support "the single largest party TVK", which fell short of 6 seats despite allying with Congress.
"TVK is the single-largest party. It needs 6 MLAs to form the Govt. We have given 6 MLAs of CPI, CPI(M) and VCK. We have given our support; it is our democratic duty. This is a people's democracy. We will stand with democracy, we will stand with people," he said.
Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician and TVK chief Vijay is poised to take charge as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after the party secured crucial support from key political allies and completed the required majority mark in the 234-member Assembly, sources and party leaders indicated on Friday.
The development comes after Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan, where he formally staked claim to form the government after consolidating support from multiple parties following the fractured mandate in the recently concluded Assembly elections.TVK, which emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats, had fallen short of the majority mark of 118 required to form the government independently.
However, with the support of Congress, CPI, CPI (M) and VCK, the party has successfully crossed the majority threshold.
The CPI, CPI(M) and VCK, which won 2 seats each, extended their support to TVK, taking the tally of the party to the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member assembly, along with the 5 seats from Congress.
The CPI (M), in an official letter, conveyed its support to TVK for the purpose of forming a government in the state, while CPI extended "conditional support" to the Vijay-led party in favour of "stable, secular and democratic governance for the people of Tamil Nadu."
The time shall now unveil what the tenure of Vijay as Chief Minister means for Tamil Nadu.