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Vijay's number game: How Tamil Nadu assembly tally stacks up for TVK after Congress' support
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Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday (May 6) and staked a claim to form the state government. The development came two days after his political party emerged as the single largest party but was short of a simple majority.On Wednesday, the Congress announced its support to the TVK to form the Tamil Nadu government, in a move the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) — the Congress' long-time ally — described as "backstab".Vijay is likely to take oath as Chief Minister on May 7, according to party sources.People also askAI powered insights from this story•5 QUESTIONSThe Tamil Nadu Assembly has 234 members, requiring 118 seats for a simple majority. The TVK, with 108 seats, needs an additional 10 seats to form the government.The Congress party, with 5 MLAs, has publicly announced its support for the TVK to form the Tamil Nadu government. This alliance marks a break from the Congress's 55-year partnership with the DMK.The combined tally for the TVK and Congress stands at 113 seats (108 from TVK and 5 from Congress), which is still short of the 118 seats required for a majority.No, Tamil Nadu, with 234 assembly seats, can have a maximum of 35 Cabinet ministers. The outgoing DMK government had 34 ministers.The Congress has stipulated that its support is conditional on the TVK excluding parties with communal ideologies that do not adhere to the Indian Constitution from the alliance.How many MLAs from the TVK, Congress and other political parties will form the Tamil Nadu Assembly? How many ministers can Tamil Nadu have? Here's how numbers stack up after the 2026 polls:Party-wise number of MLAs in Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2026:The Tamil Nadu Assembly has 234 members. Of them:TVK has: 108 MLAsDMK: 59All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK): 47Congress: 5Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK): 4Indian Union Muslim League (IUML): 2Communist Party of India (CPI): 2Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi VCK: 2Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI(M): 2Bharatiya Janata Party -(BJP): 1Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK): 1Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMKMNKZ): 1Who will form Tamil Nadu govt?The TVK, which contested and won the Tamil Nadu election with a majority of seats, will form the state government with support from the Congress.A political party or a coalition must cross the majority mark to comfortably form the government. In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, the majority mark is 118. None of the political parties achieved this mark in the 2026 elections.The TVK, as the single-largest party, staked a claim to form the Tamil Nadu government. Party chief Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday regarding this. The TVK won 108 seats and needs an additional 10 seats to form a government.While the Congress party with 5 MLAs has publicly announced its support for the TVK, it was not immediately clear who else among smaller parties has extended support to Vijay's party.How do the numbers stack up in TVK's favour in Tamil Nadu Assembly?Going by the absolute number of seats won by the parties in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Elections, the ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu will likely consist of:TVK: 108 MLAsCongress: 5 MLAsThe official tally in favour of the TVK-Congress' side stands at 113 seats and is still short of five. No other political party have announced its support for the TVK yet. Here's what other parties are saying:"In a bid to bridge the gap, the TVK has also approached AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS)," Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai was quoted by ANI as saying on Wednesday.The support of the AIADMK, which secured 47 seats in the assembly elections, could help the TVK comfortably cross the halfway mark.The VCK, an ally of the DMK, was yet to take a decision, party sources told PTI on Wednesday. "It will be decided by our party president, Thol Thirumavalavan," a senior party functionary was quoted as saying.The
Astrologer Radhan Pandit analysed Thalapathy Vijay's political prospects in a 2024 YouTube video. He claimed that the actor's party's name aligned with his birth date for success. Who Is Radhan Pandit? Meet the astrologer who predicted actor Vijay's political rise back in 2024 (@actorvijay)(X/actorvijay)On 4 May, a familiar face appeared outside Thalapathy Vijay's Neelankarai residence in Chennai. Celebrity astrologer Radhan Pandit arrived with a bouquet and a ceremonial shawl.Early election trends were showing TVK making a strong debut in Tamil Nadu. The visit quickly went viral across social media platforms nationwide.Who Is Radhan Pandit?Radhan Pandit is one of India's most high-profile celebrity and political astrologers. He has over 40 years of experience in Vedic astrology, numerology and meditation-based guidance.He was originally known as Pandit Vettrivel before relocating to Delhi in 2008. He changed his name to Radhan Pandit after that move. He is originally from South India but has built his practice primarily in Delhi.According to multiple media reports, his client base reads like a who's who of Indian political life. He has reportedly consulted senior members of the BJP, Congress, DMK, and AIADMK over the past decades. He considers veteran politician LK Advani a guru-like figure in his own life. His premium service, "365 Days Predictions," caters to CEOs and senior government officials.The Jayalalithaa ChapterRadhan Pandit claims to have served as spiritual mentor to the late J Jayalalithaa. He accurately predicted her landmark electoral victory in 1991.However, he reportedly warned her of a difficult period starting in 1994. That warning created a professional rift between them that was never fully repaired.The Vijay ConnectionPandit has been among the most vocal public supporters of actor-politician Vijay and TVK. He described Vijay's horoscope as having extraordinary “tsunami-like” strength for political success.He predicted that Vijay would become the chief minister with over 150 seats in Tamil Nadu. He also stated that Tamil Nadu temples would be elevated to world-class standards under Vijay's leadership.Back in 2024, his YouTube video explained in detail why Vijay would succeed in politics. People are now revisiting that video to congratulate the astrologer.In the YouTube video, he analysed actor Vijay’s political transition with his party, Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam. The astrologer argued that the party’s name aligned perfectly with the actor's birth date, acting as a powerful tool for success.He dismissed critics who claimed the actor's horoscope was unsuitable for governance. He compared Vijay’s charts to those of prominent former ministers, such as Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam. He suggested that the actor possessed the “royal" qualities necessary to become a future CM.In the 2024 vidoo, Radhan Pandit predicted a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, suggesting a major rivalry between Vijay (TVK) and Udhayanidhi Stalin (DMK).He suggested that, by the 2026 elections, Vijay would emerge as a "major power".Catch LIVE updatesEarly trends in Tamil Nadu hint that Actor Vijay is all set to become the next CM. According to early trends, the UDF is gaining power in Kerala. The BJP-led NDA will retain power in Assam and Puducherry.Early trends in West Bengal indicate that the BJP is set to gain a clear majority, surpassing the Mamata Banerjee government.About the AuthorSounak MukhopadhyaySounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence
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