Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister-designate, C. Joseph Vijay, Thursday moved a step closer to assuming office after meeting Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan and formally apprising him of the support backing his bid to form the government in the state.
The crucial meeting came amid days of intense political uncertainty following the Assembly election results, in which TVK emerged as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu by winning 108 seats in its electoral debut.
Though the party fell short of the halfway mark in the 234-member Assembly, Vijay is understood to have conveyed to the Governor that he was confident of comfortably proving his majority on the floor of the House after the swearing-in ceremony.
Sources familiar with the developments said Vijay presented details regarding the support currently available to him and assured Governor Arlekar that the numbers required to sustain the government would be secured during the trust vote.
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Following the discussions, Governor Arlekar is learnt to have expressed satisfaction over the presentation and assurances offered by the TVK leadership.
Soon after the meeting, Vijay was formally invited to form the government, ending speculation over whether the Governor would delay the process until additional letters of support were produced.
Sources indicated that preparations for the swearing-in ceremony have already begun, with the event likely to be held either Friday or Saturday in Chennai.
Senior TVK leaders are expected to participate in the ceremony along with alliance partners and invited political leaders from across the country.
The developments mark a dramatic moment in Tamil Nadu politics, with Vijay becoming the first actor in recent decades to successfully convert cinematic popularity into a major electoral victory on his debut.
TVK’s emergence has significantly altered the state’s traditional Dravidian political landscape, dominated for decades by the DMK and AIADMK.
Political observers said Governor Arlekar’s decision to invite Vijay to form the government signals the beginning of a new political phase in Tamil Nadu, even as back-channel negotiations and discussions over outside support are expected to continue until the trust vote is completed in the Assembly.
