Hung Verdict in Tamil Nadu: What Will Vijay’s TVK do?

The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election has delivered a surprise, with actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerging as the single-largest party.

TVK secured 107 seats in the 234-member House, falling short of the 118 needed for a majority. The DMK-led alliance won 74 seats, while the NDA finished third with 53. No other parties won representation, and TVK had contested independently.

With no clear majority, the question now is where to go from here ?  Could Vijay become the first Chief Minister since 1967 outside the DMK and AIADMK, and who might support him? Several scenarios are in play.

What happens next in Tamil Nadu?

TVK seeks support from smaller parties

One option for Vijay and the TVK would be to secure backing from smaller parties currently aligned with the DMK. The party requires 11 additional MLAs to form a government. Smaller parties within the DMK alliance, including Congress, hold a combined total of 14 seats. Even ahead of elections, a section of Congress had favoured a pre-poll alliance with TVK and may still extend support with its five seats.

The two Left parties—CPI and CPI(M)—have two MLAs each and VCK and IUML have two seats too. If all of them back TVK, only a couple more members would be needed, potentially from Thol. Thirumavalavan’s Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).

In a statement after the election on Tuesday, Thol. Thirumavalavan said he had anticipated a hung Assembly as early as March, suggesting that voters were inclined towards a coalition government, though he stopped short of mentioning the DMK. But, he pointed out that the anti-NDA votes were divided between DMK and TVK.

These smaller parties were on their way to meet former Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday afternoon before taking any decision.

It should not be forgotten that Vijay campaigned with BR Ambedkar’s photo in a few rallies.

But, if Congress and its allies withdraw support in the state, it could strain opposition alliance at the national level and the DMK’s position within it.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) led by Anbumani Ramadoss won four seats, and is allied to AIADMK. In 2006, when Tamil Nadu last saw a hung Assembly, the PMK offered support to the DMK without sharing power in the ministry. The difference then, however, was that the DMK and the PMK had a pre-poll alliance.

AIADMK and TVK alliance

A second scenario involves the opposition AIADMK extending support to TVK. Yet, there has been little to suggest such a development is likely. Public statements from both sides have generally ruled out any collaboration.

A major obstacle to any such alliance is TVK’s firm opposition to the BJP. The party has repeatedly made clear it will not align with the AIADMK-BJP combine, describing the BJP as an ideological adversary.

But, reports had surfaced that in late 2025, AIADMK had sounded out Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam about a possible tie-up. Those discussions collapsed after TVK reportedly laid down hard terms: alliance leadership, projection of Vijay as the Chief Ministerial candidate, and close to half of the 234 Assembly seats. 

For the AIADMK, a party that has governed the state multiple times, that was too big a bridge to cross.

After the breakdown, AIADMK moved back toward the BJP-led NDA, while TVK doubled down on its decision to contest all 234 seats solo. From that point, public positions hardened rapidly. 

TVK repeatedly dismissed alliance speculation as “completely false”, insisting it would fight independently. Vijay's campaign sharpened into a clear rejection of alliance politics, with direct attacks on the DMK government and the BJP, and a visible distancing from the AIADMK-BJP space as polling neared.

Will DMK back TVK?

Another possibility is that the entire DMK-led alliance supports TVK, enabling Vijay to form the government with relative ease. This option is politically unlikely, but numerically viable.

However, there has been no indication so far that the DMK is willing to take this route. Vijay has consistently described the DMK as a political rival and has openly criticised the party. Some analysts suggest he may avoid aligning with them due to potential public backlash, especially after voters appeared to reject the MK Stalin-led government. On the other hand, the results could also be interpreted as voters favouring Vijay first, with the DMK as their secondary preference.

Any potential arrangement would therefore likely require AIADMK to distance itself from the NDA, making this scenario particularly complex.