Vijay to be Tamil Nadu CM: Stakes Claim with 120 MLAs, Oath Tomorrow

The wait for TVK Chief Vijay to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is nearing its end. After securing the necessary support for a majority, Vijay met with Governor Rajendra Arlekar and staked his claim to form the government. He's scheduled to take the oath of office tomorrow at 10:00 AM at the Nehru Indoor Stadium. Previously, the process of government formation faced several hurdles, which had prolonged the wait for the TVK Chief's swearing-in ceremony. Initially, gathering the required number of MLAs was a major issue, and even after that, scheduling the meeting with the Governor faced delays.

Meeting with the Governor and Swearing-in Schedule

After significant efforts, TVK Chief Vijay finally secured an appointment with the Governor to present his claim. Earlier, despite arranging the required number of MLAs, he had to return from Raj Bhavan as he didn't receive an appointment at 6:00 PM from Governor Rajendra Arlekar. However, following a subsequent message from Raj Bhavan, he met the Governor and officially staked his claim. While the official schedule mentions the oath-taking at 10:00 AM tomorrow, sources indicate that the party has requested the Governor for a 3:00 PM slot for the ceremony.

The Number Game: Support of 120 MLAs

Vijay has successfully garnered the support of 120 MLAs to form the government. In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, the simple majority mark is 118. With 120 MLAs, Vijay now stands two seats above the required threshold. In the assembly elections, Vijay's party, TVK, won 108 seats. As Vijay himself won from two constituencies, the total number of individual MLAs from his party stands at 107. The additional support required to reach the majority was provided by various allied parties including Congress and VCK.

Allies' Stance and Political Reactions

Following the achievement of the majority figure, TVK workers celebrated across the state. Former Chief Minister MK Stalin extended his congratulations to Vijay on the formation of the new government. VCK Chief Thol Thirumavalavan has pledged support, though VCK sources clarified that the party will provide support from the outside for now, while immediately after VCK's decision, the All India Muslim League also assured unconditional support. Vijay expressed his gratitude to the Congress, Left parties, and VCK Chief for their backing, while after its debut election victory, TVK reached out to DMK allies, including Congress, CPI, CPIM, and VCK, to secure the necessary numbers.