Tamil Nadu government formation: In Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2026, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, falling 10 seats short of the 118-seat majority.
The Congress party, which won five seats, extended conditional support, pivoting from its long-time ally DMK to back TVK for a “secular government” opposed to BJP influence. Still falling short by 6 seats, Vijay turned to Left parties (CPI, CPI-M) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), each winning 2 seats, to bridge the gap – making VCK’s two MLAs the crucial lifeline for coalition stability.
VCK’s pivotal role speeds up TVK’s coalition bid
VCK’s Thirumavalavan publicly aligned with the Left parties’ pro-TVK stance but delayed formal confirmation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, holding overnight talks with TVK, AIADMK’s EPS, and DMK’s MK Stalin before committing. Indian Express quoting sources confirmed TVK had only 116 MLAs on record, one shy after Vijay’s seat vacancy, pushing the oath ceremony to limbo amid allies’ wavers.
The Chennai-based leader’s decision remains the make-or-break factor in dismantling six decades of Dravidian duopoly, with VCK’s support framing the coalition as people’s democracy over opportunistic pacts.
VCK demands Deputy CM Post and Tiruchirappalli East seat
The Thol Thirumavalavan-led Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is bidding for lucrative positions, including the Deputy Chief Minister post, if the party joins Vijay’s TVK-led coalition government, a pro-Dalit party source revealed Saturday. At a virtual meeting chaired by Thirumavalavan, VCK deliberated on securing the Deputy CM berth for its president and one-to-three Cabinet posts for its two newly elected MLAs.
Crucially, the party prefers Thirumavalavan to contest the Tiruchirappalli East constituency if Vijay vacates his seat there after winning both Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur—likely retaining Perambur in Chennai, as sources confirmed the actor-politician will opt for the capital seat.
Beyond ministerial posts, the VCK stressed non-negotiable policy demands- ensuring continuity of commissions probing caste killings appointed by the outgoing DMK government and instituting a quota for Dalit promotions in government jobs. Deputy General Secretary Vanni Arasu told media the party’s power-sharing stance reflects “people’s feelings” but declined specifics while waiting for Thirumavalavan’s announcement on supporting TVK.
The pro-Dalit outfit opposes the Governor’s intervention, backing TVK as the people’s mandate and Thirumavalavan’s visit to outgoing CM MK Stalin compounds the drama as the alliance with DMK faces uncertainty.
Who is Thol Thirumavalavan?
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a prominent Dalit rights and social justice party in Tamil Nadu, is headed by Thol Thirumavalavan, who serves as its Chairman and President since 1990. A renowned lawyer from Chennai and Member of Parliament (MP) representing Chidambaram in the Lok Sabha, Thirumavalavan took over leadership after the Dalit Panthers of India’s founder passed away in 1989.
The party’s general secretary is writer Ravikumar, but Thirumavalavan remains the undisputed face and chief decision-maker, leveraging his activist roots to champion marginalised communities.
Committee to weigh TVK overture amid DMK Ties
VCK chief Thirumavalavan announced that his party’s high-level committee would convene in the evening to assess Tamil Nadu’s crisis-torn political landscape, including an invitation from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam to extend support for government formation. He emphasised, “This evening we have a room meeting with high-level committee members. We are going to discuss the current political scenario and will decide what our stance in this crisis is.”
The invitation from TVK, seeking backing to cross the 118-seat majority with the party’s 2 MLAs, factor prominently as the actor-turned-politician scrambles for a coalition after emerging as the single largest party with 108 seats.
Governor criticism and DMK alliance in spotlight
Thirumavalavan underscored the delicate balance VCK faces, noting, “As well as we are still with the DMK alliance, so we will discuss the DMK relation. How are we going to maintain and continue so all these issues will be discussed.”
He sharply criticised Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s approach, stating, “Governor should not behave like this. We criticised the approach of the Governor,” amid demands for proof of maggioranza that delayed TVK’s swearing-in.
The meeting will chart VCK’s path between long-standing INDIA bloc loyalties and the opportunity to back the single largest party, positioning the Dalit rights activist as the key kingmaker in Tamil Nadu’s reshaping politics.