The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has also extended support to Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), bringing to an end days of suspense regarding Tamil Nadu’s next state government.
The announcement came just minutes after Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) declared their support for TVK on Saturday, May 9. IUML and VCK have two MLAs each, and now TVK has the support of 120 MLAs, passing the halfway mark of 118.
In its letter of support IUML said the support is “in the interest of stable, secular and democratic governance for the people of Tamil Nadu”.
The IUML won two seats in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Along with support from the Congress (5), Left parties (4) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s (VCK) two seats, the TVK’s tally has now risen to 120.
During a floor test, votes are counted only based on the MLAs present in the House.
The TVK had won in 108 constituencies, but it will go down to 106 after reducing one seat Vijay will have to vacate from the two he won and its Speaker in the House, whose vote shall only be utilised in case of a tie-breaker.
In this case, the full strength of the Assembly will be 232. TVK will need 117 to pass a floor test.
Soon after securing letters of support from the Left parties on May 8, Vijay and other TVK leaders met Governor Rajendra Arlekar to stake a claim to form the government. Following the letters from IUML and VCK, they will meet the Governor again for the fourth time.
Meanwhile, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder TTV Dhinakaran accused TVK of submitting a forged letter to the Governor claiming support from AMMK’s lone MLA-elect, S Kamaraj.
After the Congress walked out of its alliance with the DMK to support TVK, all eyes were on the Left and VCK. Angered by the snub from Congress, the DMK was in talks with their arch-rival, the AIADMK, in a bid to cobble together a post-poll alliance.
On May 7, Governor Rajendra Arlekar said the TVK had not been able to prove a majority and asked Vijay to come back with the numbers.
Pockets of protests by the TVK and Congress broke out in Chennai on May 8, both of whom accused the Governor of disrespecting the public’s mandate.