Tamil Nadu government formation updates: AMMK chief Dhinakaran refutes party's support to TVK

Amid making charges of “horse trading” and “forgery”, T.T.V. Dhinakaran visits the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Guindy Range, in Chennai, late on Friday (May 8, 2026) night. The TVK has denied his charges.

After T.T.V. Dhinakaran’s claim refuting his party’s winner supporting the TVK, and accusing them of horse-trading, the TVK has reportedly shared a video, claiming that it showed Mr. Kamaraj writing his letter supporting the TVK.

The party called Mr. Dhinakaran’s claims to be “completely false and contrary to the truth”.

“Dhinakaran is continuing to spread false news and misinformation. The public should understand that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has no need to bargain or negotiate with anyone,” the party had said.

- ANI

AMMK chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran said that the Governor has listened to their complaint of the “forged” letter and assured him of necessary steps over the issue.

- PTI

Security Branch officials in Tamil Nadu were informed a short while ago that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has cancelled his visit to Chennai on Saturday (May 9, 2026).

He was scheduled to arrive by Air India flight on Saturday morning to attend the much-anticipated swearing in of TVK leader Vijay as Chief Minister, say police source.

- S. Vijay Kumar

In a past midnight development on Friday (May 8, 2026), AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran accused the TVK of submitting to the Governor the photocopy of a “forged letter” claiming it has the support of his party’s lone MLA-elect Kamaraj.

“The TVK, which claims to be a ‘pure force’ has indulged in forgery in the hope that later they could indulge in horse trading and buy our lone MLA, as it would not attract anti-defection law. They submitted a photocopy of a WhatsApp letter to the Governor. When he asked for the original, they left saying it will be brought,” Mr. Dhinakaran told reporters outside the Lok Bhavan, accompanied by Mr. Kamaraj. He said a police complaint will be lodged.

Earlier on Friday (May 8, 2026), Mr. Dhinakaran had submitted another letter to the Governor extending support to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami urging he be invited to form the government. The letter contained his signature as well as that of Mr Kamaraj’s (obtained earlier).

- D. Suresh Kumar

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Five Tamil Nadu Congress MLAs are camping in Hyderabad even as the suspense over Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony continued.

A senior functionary of the Congress party confirmed to The Hindu about the MLAs camping in Hyderabad.

The MLAs reportedly arrived on Thursday (May 7, 2026) and planned to leave after reports came in that Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar had asked Mr. Vijay to form the government.

However, they postponed their return after new developments in Tamil Nadu cast a shadow on the swearing-in ceremony. They are likely to return once after the political uncertainty stabilises.

AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran and the party’s lone MLA-elect Kamaraj on Friday submitted a letter to the Governor extending support to the AIADMK. 

They urged the Governor to invite AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to form the new government in Tamil Nadu.

- D. Suresh Kumar

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) staged protests in Salem and Namakkal against Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and the BJP on Friday (May 8).

As part of the state-wide protest against the BJP and the Governor over the delay in inviting the TVK to form government in Tamil Nadu, Congress activists led by Salem Deputy Mayor M. Saradha Devi gathered at Fort Maiden and raised slogans against the Governor. They also blew the whistle (symbol of the TVK) and demanded that the Governor invite TVK chief C. Joseph Vijay to form the government.

Following the information that the Congress and the TVK cadres will protest at Salem Collectrate in support of Mr. Vijay, a posse of police personnel was deployed at the collectorate for security reasons.

Likewise at Tiruchengode, Congress cadre led by Namakkal West District Congress president Sathish Kumar gathered near the Anna statue and raised slogans against the BJP and the Governor.

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Former CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan quoted TVK chief Vijay as saying: ‘I am grateful for your support during these challenging times. My door is always open to you. Under no circumstances will I allow communal forces.” — K. Muralitharan

On Friday (May 8, 2026) evening, TVK president and actor C. Joseph Vijay called on Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for the third consecutive day while his party awaits the Governor’s invitation to form the government in Tamil Nadu. 

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has endorsed the views expressed by DMK president M.K. Stalin urging the Tamil Nadu Governor to take steps to facilitate the swearing in of a new government.

Kader Mohideen, the leader of the party, said his party has not given a letter of support to Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam led by actor Vijay — B. Kolappan

Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) is also expected to announce its support to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for the formation of the government in Tamil Nadu.

While a section of VCK leaders favoured seeking a ministerial berth or the post of Deputy Chief Minister for party leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, he remained firm on following the line taken by the Left parties and extending unconditional support, sources told The Hindu — B. Kolappan

In its letter sent to Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar offering support to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the Communist Party of India (CPI) said the support was conveyed in the interest of stable, secular and democratic governance for the people of Tamil Nadu. 

Minutes after the two Left parties extended their support to TVK, the DMK president and outgoing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on Friday (May 8, 2026), urged Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to immediately take steps in accordance with the Constitution of India for the formation of a new government in the State — N. Sai Charan

The high-level committee of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) headed by Kader Mohideen is discussing the political developments and is expected to announce its stand on its support to Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) headed by actor C. Joseph Vijay.

“We will announce our decision after the meeting,” he said. — B. Kolappan

The new climate of shifting loyalties in Tamil Nadu politics in the wake of the fractured mandate in the 2026 Assembly elections finds a resonance in Illathavarakal, the novella by Jayakanthan, in which the protagonist, Tony alias Duraisamy, becomes a victim of his leader’s political defection and is driven to murder — B. Kolappan

Actor C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is inching closer towards forming the next government in Tamil Nadu with the CPI and CPI-M, which have two Assembly seats each, deciding to extend support to his party on Friday evening.

The TVK, with 108 seats, had already secured the support of the five members of the Congress.

After the Congress-DMK alliance ended in Tamil Nadu earlier this week with the national party extending support to Vijay’s TVK in forming the government in the State, DMK deputy general secretary and Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, in a communication dated May 7, 2026, has written to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha requesting change in the seating arrangements of the DMK MPs. 

BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran on Friday said his party will not support any of the formations attempting to form the government in Tamil Nadu following the 2026 Assembly election, in which no party or alliance secured a simple majority in the 234-member House.

Speaking at New Delhi on Friday (May 8, 2026) on the meeting of VCK and the Left parties, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby said, “All these parties would take necessary steps to ensure that Vijay is invited to form the government.” — ANI

Following the snapping of ties with the DMK by the Congress recently, Congress cadres who had gathered at a tea shop in Mayiladuthurai town on Friday were allegedly confronted by DMK youth wing members, who threw the national party’s flags on the road and raised slogans against Congress and Rahul Gandhi — M. Nacchinarkkiniyan

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asserted that there was no justification for the Tamil Nadu governor to stop TVK leader Vijay from forming the government, and said he should be provided an opportunity to prove the majority in the Assembly.

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday (May 7, 2026) rejected TVK chief Vijay’s claim to form the government, stating that his party lacks the requisite numbers.

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has fallen short of meeting a simple majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Though the Congress with five MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay’s party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. PTI

BJP’s only MLA-elect from Tamil Nadu, Bojarajan, said that all major strategic decisions regarding government formation and the current political crisis in Tamil Nadu will be taken by the central leadership of his party.

When pressed by reporters regarding the possibility of a coalition government or the BJP’s specific role in the current instability, Bojarajan remained tight-lipped, citing party protocol.

“No, no, no. All of that will be decided by our headquarters,” Mr. Bojarajan said.

PTI

A lone Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party cadre staged a protest near Lok Bhavan in Chennai on Friday (May 8, 2026), demanding that Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar invites party leader C. Joseph Vijay to form the government in the State without any delay.

The cadres of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and Congress staged demonstrations in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur, condemning the T.N. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for not inviting the actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay to form the government.

The demonstrators, who gathered near the Head Post Offices at Thanjavur and Tiruvarur, respectively, on May 8, raised slogans condemning Mr. Arlekar for insisting on providing letters of support to affirm that TVK enjoys a majority in the Legislative Assembly to be formed based on the 2026 elections.

They demanded that Mr. Vijay be allowed to form the government and later prove the majority on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.

- The Hindu Bureau

The AIADMK Member of Parliament and former Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, M. Thambi Durai, on Friday (May 8, 2026), expressed the hope that the party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami would come back to power. 

The AIADMK veteran said during the election tour of the general secretary, the public sentiment was evident in favour of his party’s return to power. “I hope this may happen,” Mr. Thambi Durai observed, hastening to add it was for Mr. Palaniswami to take a call on the question of an alliance between the DMK and the AIADMK. 

He was responding to a question on the possibility of the truce between the two Dravidian majors. 

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The crucial State secretariat meetings of the CPI and CPI(M) began in Chennai on Friday (May 8, 2026) to discuss their course of action regarding the formation of the next government in Tamil Nadu, following the fractured mandate in the Assembly elections, in which no party or front secured a majority. 

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)’s decision on the issue will depend on the outcome of the meetings of the Left parties. According to sources, the Left parties are unlikely to support an AIADMK government. However, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) can also stake a claim to form the government only if the Left parties and the VCK extend letters of support.

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The leaders arrive at AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami’s residence in Chennai on Friday (May 8, 2026).

Tamil Nadu Congress cadres stage a protest in Madurai against Governor Rajendra Arlekar after he rejected TVK chief Vijay’s claim to form the government in the State, asking the party to return only after securing the support of 118 MLAs.

Terming his party’s decision to ally with the TVK in Tamil Nadu as “dreadful”, veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Friday (May 8, 2026) said it smacked of “low political opportunism” and asserted that if the move facilitates the backdoor entry of a “communal BJP” into the Dravidian state, then it would prove to be the worst own goal in the history of political football.

Mr. Aiyar said he cannot imagine the fathers of the Indian National Congress blessing such a “politics of expediency”.

Speaking with PTI, Aiyar said the Congress’ decision to jump ship immediately after an election fought with the DMK to plunge into a relationship with the very TVK that took “us on in the 23 assembly segments we lost and the five we won only days ago”, was “dreadful”.

- PTI

CPI urged the Governor to allow TVK to prove its majority in the Assembly, not outside its halls.

On CPI likely to take a decision today on supporting TVK, Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D. Raja said, “We have made it very clear. The Left parties, CPI, CPM, and also the VCK in Tamil Nadu, have all maintained that the larger mandate is for TVK.”

“The Governor should invite the single largest party, and that government must be allowed to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly, not in the halls or corridors of the Governor’s residence. We have clearly asked the Governor to invite the single largest party, that is TVK, to form the government,” he added.

“The Governor should not create any hurdle in the process by referring to discretionary powers and such things. The Governor should follow the established practices and conventions on such issues,” Mr. Raja said.

As the stalemate in Tamil Nadu continues, AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP M. Thambidurai said that the party is engaged in multiple discussions, expressing confidence that his party will come back to form the government in the State.

Addressing reporters, Mr. Thambidurai said, “So many discussions are going on. I cannot say anything now. We hope good things will happen. My party, my leader will come back. There is a public sentiment that AIADMK has to come to power. That may happen in the due course of time with the grace of God.”

ANI

Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore has claimed that the Congress walked out of the DMK alliance only after seeing through the design of the DMK in joining hands with AIADMK.

In a social media post, he said that “the two Dravidian parties who are lifetime enemies have joined together overnight... Their claim of forming a stable government is only a political language to protect their power,” he said.

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The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which sprung a surprise in the 2026 Assembly elections, has not only altered the bipolar nature of Tamil Nadu’s politics for the first time since 1977, but has also raised questions over the future of the two Dravidian majors — the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

However, analysis of region-wise variations in the vote shares secured by the TVK, the DMK and the AIADMK in the 134 constituencies they directly faced each other showed that the electoral outcome has become an existential threat for the AIADMK, which seems to have lost its core vote bank to the TVK. In contrast, the DMK has largely retained its core vote bank.

Historical floors show the DMK losing less of its core support and more of its floating votes. Click below to read the full story:

The insistence that Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay must prove majority support in the Legislative Assembly is based on a time-tested legal principle that a Governor’s first priority is the formation of a stable government, lest the State slip into a situation of complete breakdown of constitutional machinery, leading to President’s Rule.

Supreme Court precedents have said a Governor cannot refuse to allow the formation of a government once the majority is established. The only exception could be where the Governor is of the view that a stable government may not be formed by the claimants. On the other hand, the court has also noted that a Governor is not expected to wait indefinitely, and in the process, encourage defections or adoption of other objectionable activities.

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With Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar going on record that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has not established the requisite majority support in the State Assembly to form the government, he has as many options as precedents before him to examine.

Some of the parties have begun criticising Mr. Arlekar for insisting on the production of letters of support. Twenty years ago, when the DMK bagged only 96 seats in the 234-member Assembly, it formed the government in Tamil Nadu only with the support of its allies, which accounted for 68 seats. The Hindu, on May 12, 2006, stated that “all the allies have submitted letters supporting the DMK to Governor Surjit Singh Barnala .”

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The correct course of action for the Tamil Nadu Governor would be to invite C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form the government and prove his majority on the floor of the State Assembly, former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said on Thursday (May 7, 2026).

Reacting to the evolving political situation in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Kumar said constitutional conventions and judicial precedents make it clear that when a party stakes claim, the appropriate constitutional process is to allow it an opportunity to demonstrate majority support through a floor test in the Assembly.

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The oligarchic functioning of traditional political parties has alienated politically conscious youth, first-time voters, and unheard sections of society, pushing many towards new political alternatives such as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

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At the heart of Vijay’s emphatic win, lies a disenchantment with the smug complacence of rule by both the DMK and, for a decade until 2021, the AIADMK.

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While TVK chief Vijay and senior party leaders reached out to the DMK’s allies — the Communist Party of India, the CPI(M) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which have two seats each — DMK president M.K. Stalin is also learnt to have broached with these three parties the idea of backing an AIADMK-led government. Now clearly, the three parties hold the key to any further churn in Tamil Nadu politics.

Currently, the TVK with the support of the five elected candidates of the Congress, effectively has 112 seats in the 234-member House after accounting for the legal mandate for Vijay to resign from one of his two seats.

Mr. Stalin, the outgoing Chief Minister, invited CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam, CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian, and VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan to his house for discussions. The DMK would not join the government, but the allies are free to take a decision on joining the government, he reportedly told them.

While the two Communist parties sought time, stating their State committee meetings scheduled for Friday would take a final decision, Mr. Thirumavalavan indicated that he would follow the Communists’ stand.