TVK's Vijay Shows Support Of 112 MLAs; Governor Arlekar Says 'Return With 118'

The oath-taking ceremony of TVK’s Vijay as the next Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, following his party’s victory in the state assembly election, is likely to be postponed as Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar is not yet convinced that the party has the required numbers to form the government. This comes after Arlekar asked Vijay to return with the support of 118 MLAs, after he submitted letters of support from 112 MLAs.

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats, needs at least 10 more to reach the majority mark of 118. The Congress has 5 seats, and with its support, the tally rises to 112.

Vijay Lands In Legal Trouble

Days after actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Madras High Court directed its Registry to number and list a petition seeking a probe into alleged income suppression by the party chief.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari noted that the Registry had declined to number the plea over doubts about its maintainability. The court clarified that deciding maintainability is a judicial function, not an administrative one.

It ordered that such petitions be numbered—even if questions remain—by adding the endorsement “subject to maintainability,” and then placed before the appropriate judge.

The plea, filed by Chennai-based M. Rajkumar, urges the Income Tax Department to examine material from search operations and initiate prosecution under the Income Tax Act. It also calls for an FIR under IPC provisions, including cheating and forgery, along with action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.