Tamil Nadu Government Formation: Why Vijay's TVK is looking to onboard AIADMK after getting Congress support

Tamil Nadu government formation: Vijay’s outreach to the AIADMK is driven not only by a desire for numbers but also by a lack of experience among its elected leaders.  

Short of the magic figure of 118, Vijay C Joseph’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has now bagged the support from the Congress and is in talks with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a party that has 47 seats and can place the TVK in a comfortable majority position. However, Vijay’s outreach to the AIADMK is driven not only by a desire for numbers but also by a lack of experience among its elected leaders. Most of the TVK MLAs are first-time winners and lack administrative experience. Thus, Vijay is now looking to onboard some experience with the Congress and the ADMK.

The Quest for 118: Why Congress Support Isn't Enough

Making its Assembly election debut, the Tamil film superstar’s TVK won an impressive 108 seats, completely upending the political landscape and pushing the ruling DMK to second place with 59 seats. However, falling short of the magic majority figure of 118 in the 234-member Assembly, Vijay's party had to shift focus swiftly from celebration to coalition-building.

Also Read: Congress extends support to Vijay's TVK for government formation in Tamil Nadu

By Tuesday, plans were already set in motion. The TVK successfully bagged support from the Congress, which won five seats. Initially, sources indicated a proposed arrangement where Congress could receive up to two Cabinet berths. However, even with Congress on board, the tally only reaches 113. Securing a stable majority would require cobbling together the backing of multiple smaller regional parties. Due to the "hesitation" of several of these smaller players, Vijay's camp pivotally shifted its focus toward a much bigger prize: the AIADMK.

Onboarding the AIADMK: Strategic Necessity

With 47 seats in its bag, the AIADMK holds the power to instantly place the TVK-led alliance into a comfortable and stable majority position. On Tuesday evening, discussions were confirmed to be in progress between Vijay’s camp and Edappadi K Palaniswami, the general secretary of the AIADMK.

Top sources within the TVK revealed that exploratory conversations are being spearheaded by Aadhav Arjuna, a key coordinator in Vijay’s inner circle. Interestingly, Arjuna is the son-in-law of Leema Rose Martin—an AIADMK MLA and wife of lottery baron Santiago Martin—adding a layer of familial familiarity to the high-stakes political engagement.

Also Read: ‘Well-being of people remains our only goal’: TVK chief Vijay thanks PM Modi after poll win

Bridging the Experience Deficit

Vijay’s aggressive outreach to the AIADMK is driven by a stark reality: a profound lack of administrative experience within his own ranks. While the TVK secured a historic mandate, the vast majority of its winning candidates are first-time legislators who have never held public office.

To govern effectively, Vijay needs seasoned politicians who understand the levers of state administration. By onboarding veteran leaders from the Congress and established giants from the AIADMK, the TVK hopes to inject immediate governance expertise into the new setup. To facilitate this, TVK is expected to allocate four to six ministerial positions to its coalition partners.

Next Steps: Proving the Numbers

As the political horse-trading intensifies, the immediate procedural steps are underway in Chennai. TVK MLAs are expected to formally elect Vijay as their legislature party leader soon. Following this, the Governor will invite him to form the government once majority support is formally demonstrated.

According to party sources, Vijay plans to take charge of the government by the weekend, but is likely to seek up to a week from the Governor to officially prove his numbers on the floor of the House.

Tamil Nadu Cabinet Seat-Sharing

Local media reports suggest that under the proposed coalition blueprint, the Congress—which secured five seats—is likely to be handsomely rewarded with up to two Cabinet berths. In total, Vijay's TVK is expected to partition four to six ministerial positions among its alliance partners. This generous allocation serves a dual purpose: it firmly locks in the necessary legislative numbers while strategically insulating the rookie government from its own administrative greenness.