Actor-turned-politician Vijay has led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to a historic debut in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, emerging as the single largest party with 107 seats in the 234-member House. The party, however, remains short of the majority mark of 118 and is expected to explore alliances to form the government.
Vijay secured a decisive win from Perambur, defeating his DMK rival, while also winning from Tiruchirapalli East. The party’s newly elected MLAs are set to meet in Chennai to elect him as leader, as discussions over government formation intensify.
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won 60 seats, with its ally Indian National Congress securing five. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) finished with 47 seats.
The results mark a major shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, traditionally dominated by the DMK and AIADMK. TVK’s performance reflects strong voter turnout and support, particularly among youth and urban voters. The outcome has opened the possibility of coalition negotiations, with multiple parties assessing their positions as the state moves towards government formation. The INC won 5 seats while BJP won 1.
Outgoing Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin retained the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni seat, defeating TVK’s D Selvam. With MK Stalin losing Kolathur, Udhayanidhi, now a two-time MLA, is likely to take on a larger leadership role within the DMK.
NDA secures majority in Puducherry, Rangasamy set for fifth term
The Puducherry Assembly elections are set to bring N Rangasamy back as Chief Minister for a fifth term, with the National Democratic Alliance crossing the majority mark in the 30-member House. The All India NR Congress (AINRC) is leading the alliance with 10 seats, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party with four seats, while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi have one seat each.
The Congress-DMK alliance has secured six seats, down from nine in the previous election. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which performed strongly in Tamil Nadu, has also opened its account with two seats in Puducherry.
Rangasamy, 75, had earlier served as a Congress Chief Minister before quitting the party in 2011 to form the AINRC. He later aligned with the NDA in 2021. His return underlines his continued political relevance in the Union Territory.
Puducherry recorded a historic high voter turnout of 91.23% in the polls that concluded on April 9 to elect a 30-member Legislative Assembly. (With inputs from agencies)
