Chennai, May 7:Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday stated that Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) does not currently have the required majority in the state Assembly to form a government. According to an official statement from Lok Bhavan, the Governor invited TVK President C. Joseph Vijay to meet him at Lok Bhavan, Chennai.

TVK had staked a claim to form the government with the backing of Congress MLAs, but the alliance remains short of the 118-member majority in the 234-seat Assembly.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Veerapandiyan confirmed that Vijay had formally requested CPI support for a “progressive government.” He announced that an emergency state executive committee meeting has been scheduled for Friday to decide on the matter. Veerapandiyan also clarified that his recent meeting with DMK leader MK Stalin was purely a courtesy visit, as Stalin leads the party’s alliance in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol. Thirumavalavan met Governor Arlekar to advocate for TVK to be invited to form the government and prove its majority on the Assembly floor. Speaking to the media, he accused the BJP of interfering in Tamil Nadu politics and creating confusion.

Thirumavalavan said, “TVK was chosen by the people as the single largest party and should be allowed to take office. Even when support has been sought, the Governor is delaying a decision and demanding proof of numbers, which is not constitutionally required. This creates unnecessary confusion.”

He added that TVK’s request for support is in line with its status as the state’s largest party. In the recent Assembly elections, TVK disrupted the decades-long DMK-AIADMK duopoly. With Vijay set to vacate one of his two seats, TVK’s effective strength will become 107. Alongside Congress, the alliance totals 112 members—just five short of a majority.