Tamil Nadu Government formation – Artifex.News

AIADMK rebel MLAs to back TVK in Tamil Nadu floor test

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 22:53:00 +0000

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay (second from left) meets AIADMK MLAs C.Ve. Shanmugam (left), S.P. Velumani (second from right), and C. Vijayabaskar in Chennai on May 12, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Ahead of Wednesday’s (May 13, 2026) floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) called on rebel AIADMK leaders led by former Ministers S.P. Velumani and C.Ve. Shanmugam hours after they announced support to his ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Earlier, in the Assembly, newly elected Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar, allowed Mr. Velumani also to speak immediately after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami delivered a short speech congratulating the Speaker on his election.

Tamil Nadu politics LIVE: Follow updates, highlights on May 12, 2026

In the morning, the rebels declared Mr. Velumani as the “AIADMK Legislature Party leader”. Mr. Palaniswami’s supporters, however, said he was the leader of the Legislature Party. The AIADMK led by Mr. Palaniswami would vote against the confidence motion to be moved by the TVK government, senior leader O.S. Manian said.

In an interview with The Hindu, the Speaker acknowledged that he got separate representations from both sides (on the election of Legislature Party leader).

Mr. Vijay, who continued his outreach to various political party leaders for the second consecutive day, went to Mr. Shanmugam’s house in Chennai in the afternoon.

Earlier, Mr. Shanmugam accused Mr. Palaniswami of having attempted to form a government with arch rival DMK’s support following the fractured mandate in the Assembly election. “This was a shock to us,” he told journalists. Since the AIADMK was established to oppose the DMK, and its politics revolved around this for 53 years, any move to collaborate with its rival would lead to “the party’s disappearance,” he said. Therefore, it was resolved to extend support to the TVK.

Mr. Shanmugam and Mr. Velumani said the reasons for the party’s back-to-back electoral setbacks must be analysed. “We have requested the general secretary to convene a meeting of the general council as early as possible,” Mr. Shanmugam said adding, “we are no longer in any pre-poll alliance”.

Mr. Velumani requested the media not to spread rumours that his group was seeking to create a split in the party. “Elders of many of us were with the party since the launch of the organisation,” he pointed out.

The group said G. Hari (Tiruttani MLA) was elected the deputy leader; C. Vijayabhaskar (former Minister), the whip; and Kamaraj, the secretary.

However, AIADMK senior leader O.S. Manian, a supporter of Mr. Palaniswami, accused Mr. Shanmugam of spreading false information and attempting to lure MLAs. While he claimed that all 47 AIADMK legislators had signed a letter electing Mr. Palaniswami as the Legislature Party leader, presently, 26 members were on his side. “The signatures of all members supporting Mr. Palaniswami proves the AIADMK remains united. The desire to become Ministers or hold powerful positions is what is driving such statements (from rebels). While the media says they [rebels] have 30 MLAs and we have 17, we actually have 26 members with us,” Mr. Manian told journalists at the Secretariat.

Pointing out under Mr. Palaniswami’s leadership various challenges were overcome and the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol reclaimed (it was frozen following a split after Jayalalithaa’s death), he said in the election, the NDA secured nearly 1.34 crore votes.

Mr. Manian dismissed as “entirely baseless” Mr. Shanmugam’s claim of alliance talks with the DMK. The rebels were driven by a desire to become Ministers, he alleged.

Agri S.S. Krishnamurthy, who was appointed whip by Mr. Palaniswami, said, “As per the directions of the general secretary, we will vote against the Motion of Confidence. All members have been informed. Legal action will be initiated against anyone who cross-votes.”

Published – May 12, 2026 10:11 pm IST

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Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam: a new political dawn in Tamil Nadu

admin — Sun, 10 May 2026 07:14:00 +0000

Stellar debut: TVK leader C. Joseph Vijay greets his supporters at a rally in Thanjavur in March this year. In its electoral debut, the party earned about a 35% vote share, a feat that even AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran could not manage in 1977.
| Photo Credit: R. Vengadesh

On the day of polling in Tamil Nadu (April 23, 2026), a senior civil servant, serving in New Delhi, visited Chennai to attend a wedding. At the marriage hall, what he heard was a loud message in favour of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder C. Joseph Vijay. The official was surprised as he was under the impression that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) would coast to victory.

On the same day, a Madurai-based activist, who helps students prepare for competitive examinations, went to his native village near Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district to cast his vote. When he met youngsters in the village and enquired about their choice, the only reply that came was: “Vijay, Vijay, and Vijay.”

Published – May 10, 2026 05:30 am IST

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Tamil Nadu government formation: Know the TVK Ministers in C. Joseph Vijay’s Cabinet

admin — Sun, 10 May 2026 06:32:00 +0000

Tamil Nadu’s new Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, who had dominated Kollywood for the past nearly 30 years. He made his debut as a lead actor in his father S.A. Chandrasekhar’s Naalaya Theerpu in 1992, after appearing as a child actor in Vetri in 1984. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in 68 films in lead roles, becoming the highest-paid actor in Tamil cinema. His 69th film Jana Nayagan is yet to be released.

Tamil Nadu swearing-in ceremony LIVE updates

Mr. Vijay, who has been elected from Perambur and Tiruchi East, is entering the Assembly for the first time. In February 2024, he had transformed his fan association-cum-social service organisation – Vijay Makkal Iyakkam – into the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The 51-year-old actor-politician had discontinued his Bachelor of Science course at Loyola College, Chennai, in 1992 to pursue a film career. Apart from acting, he serves as the correspondent of Vijay Vidyashram and managing director and trustee of several trusts.

On Sunday (May 10, 2026), nine ministers were sworn in along with him. Who are these Ministers?

N. Anand

N. Anand, known as ‘Bussy’ N. Anand, is the general secretary of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and is the second-in-command after party president C. Joseph Vijay. Before taking up a key political role in TVK, he headed Mr. Vijay’s fan club and social service organisation – Vijay Makkal Iyakkam.

Mr. Anand, who has been elected from the T. Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai, holds the distinction of being elected to legislative bodies in two different States/Union Territories. He was first elected to the Puducherry Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Bussy constituency, from which he earned his popular sobriquet. He was elected as the nominee of Puducherry Munntra Congress.

A native of Puducherry, the 62-year-old leader studied up to Class IX in the Union Territory before entering public life. Over the years, he emerged as the closest associates of Mr. Vijay played a key organisational role candidate selection in TVK.

K.A. Sengottaiyan

K.A. Sengottaiyan, one of the senior-most legislators in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, is the chief coordinator of the high-level committee of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. A 10-time MLA, Mr. Sengottaiyan was first elected to the Assembly from Sathyamangalam in 1977 as the AIADMK candidate.

Barring the elections in 1996 and 2001, the 78-year-old leader won consecutively from the Gobichettipalayam Assembly constituency in Erode district from 1980 onwards. This is the first time he has been elected as a TVK candidate. A prominent AIADMK leader for decades, he also served as the campaign manager of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and was part of her first Cabinet between 1991 and 1996. In 2011, he briefly served again in Ms. Jayalalithaa’s Cabinet before being dropped, and later became the School Education Minister in the Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led government in 2017.

Before joining TVK in November 2025, Mr. Sengottaiyan had made efforts to reunite the AIADMK, though the attempts did not succeed.

Aadhav Arjuna

Aadhav Arjuna, elected from the Villivakkam Assembly constituency in Chennai, is entering the Assembly for the first time. A sports administrator and political consultant, he serves as the general secretary (election campaign management) of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

Before joining TVK in January 2025, the 43-year-old leader played a key role as a political consultant for the DMK. He later joined the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi led by Thol. Thirumavalavan and rose to become the party’s deputy general secretary. While in the VCK he had raised the demand for a share in power, triggering a row, leading to his suspension from the party. He then parted ways to join Mr Vijay.

Mr. Arjuna, son-in-law of lottery businessman Santiago Martin, also runs the political consulting firm Voice of Commons. Apart from politics, he has been active in sports administration and currently serves as the president of the Basketball Federation of India and the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association. He is also the general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Olympic Association. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Madras Christian College.

K.G. Arunraj

K.G. Arunraj, an articulate leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, hails from Salem and has been elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from the Tiruchengode constituency. A former Indian Revenue Service officer, Dr. Arunraj currently serves as the general secretary (policy and propaganda) of the TVK.

The 46-year-old leader holds an MBBS degree from Madras Medical College. Before joining the Indian Revenue Service and serving in the Income Tax Department in various capacities, Dr. Arunraj worked as a doctor at a Primary Health Centre in Dharmapuri district.

C.T.R. Nirmalkumar

C.T.R. Nirmalkumar, elected from the Thirupparankundram Assembly constituency in Madurai, is the joint general secretary of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and one of the party’s key spokespersons. He is entering the Assembly for the first time.

Before joining TVK in January 2025, the 44-year-old gad served as the State president of the Information Technology and Social Media Wing of the Tamil Nadu BJP until March 2023. He later joined the AIADMK, where he functioned as the joint secretary of the party’s Information Technology and Social Media Wing.

Hailing from Usilampatti in Madurai district, Mr. Nirmalkumar has an academic background spanning engineering, law and social sciences. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, an LL.B. degree, and a Master’s degree in Criminology and Police Administration.

A. Rajmohan

A. Rajmohan, elected from the Egmore (SC) Assembly constituency in Chennai, is entering the Assembly for the first time. A popular YouTuber, he began his career in the digital space by lending his voice to social causes and gradually gained recognition through appearances on several YouTube and television channels as a show host.

The 39-year-old is widely known for his Tamil oratory skills and public speaking. Hailing from Pallavaram, Mr. Rajmohan pursued higher education in management and journalism. He holds a Diploma in Business Management from IIT Madras and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Madurai Kamaraj University.

P. Venkataramanan

P. Venkataramanan, elected from the Mylapore Assembly constituency in Chennai, is the treasurer of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). He is also one of the two candidates from the Brahmin community elected to the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.

An advocate by profession, the 48-year-old leader has an academic background in commerce, business administration and law. He holds a Master of Commerce degree from Annamalai University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Periyar University, and an LL.M. degree from Annamalai University.

T.K. Prabhu

T.K. Prabhu, who hails from a family with political connections, has been elected from the Karaikudi Assembly constituency for the first time. A dentist by profession, Dr. Prabhu is also active on social media and has built a public profile through his outreach activities.

Hailing from Devakottai, the 41-year-old leader holds several qualifications in Dental Sciences, including advanced degrees and fellowships from institutions abroad.

S. Keerthana

One of the youngest MLAs in 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly, S. Keerthana, 29, is the first time legislator from Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district. Ms. Keerthana holds Bachelors Degree in Mathematics from Madurai Kamaraj University and Masters in Statistics from Pondicherry Central University. She is conversant in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English.

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Tamil Nadu swearing-in ceremony LIVE: TVK president C. Joseph Vijay to take oath as Chief Minister

admin — Sun, 10 May 2026 01:44:00 +0000

TVK president Vijay to be sworn in as Chief Minister on May 10; T.N. set for coalition government

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday (May 10, 2026), putting an end to almost six decades of alternating rule by the State’s two dominant Dravidian parties—DMK and AIADMK.

The TVK, which won 108 seats in the recent Assembly election, has an effective strength of 107 as party president Mr. Vijay was elected from two constituencies. He will have to vacate one seat. The party secured the support of five Congress MLAs-elect and two each from the CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML, all of whom had contested as part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA).

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TVK president Vijay to be sworn in as Chief Minister on May 10; T.N. set for coalition government

admin — Sat, 09 May 2026 19:43:00 +0000

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar hands over the letter of appointment to TVK chief C. Joseph Vijay as the new state Chief Minister at the Lok Bhavan in Chennai on May 9, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday (May 9) appointed Mr. Vijay as Chief Minister-designate after he secured the support of 120 MLAs-elect in the 234-member House.

Mr. Vijay will take the oath at Nehru Stadium in Chennai at 10 a.m. on Sunday (May 10). Nine other Ministers, including some senior TVK leaders, will also be sworn in. Mr. Vijay will head a coalition government with the Congress as a partner.

Also read: Tamil Nadu government formation highlights

The Governor has also directed Mr. Vijay to seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on or before May 13. The nail-biting political uncertainty that prevailed over the last few days ended on Saturday (May 9) evening, when the VCK and the IUML extended their support, taking the TVK’s tally to 120. Later, Mr. Vijay called on the Governor at Lok Bhavan in Chennai and handed over letters of support from the Congress, CPI, CPI (M), VCK and IUML.

Though the Congress snapped ties with the DMK to forge a post-poll alliance with the TVK, the other parties said that while they were extending support to the TVK for government formation, they would continue to remain part of the DMK-led alliance.

TVK cadre celebrated Mr. Vijay’s appointment as the Chief Minister by distributing sweets and bursting crackers at the party headquarters in Panaiyur and at several other places.

Support to TVK to avoid President’s rule

With the CPI and CPI (M) already expressing support for the TVK, the TVK had been awaiting the VCK’s decision. It was expected that the VCK would extend support around noon, but the formal letter was handed over to TVK general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna only in the evening.

Later, speaking to reporters at the VCK headquarters, party founder-president Thol. Thirumavalavan said, “Since the time of the People’s Welfare Front, the Left and the VCK have been functioning together based on ideology. Therefore, in the context of this political crisis, the Left and the VCK consulted and decided together, keeping a long-term vision in mind.”

Mr. Thirumavalavan said the decision to support the TVK was taken after consulting the party’s high-level committee. “The basis of this decision is to prevent President’s rule from being imposed in Tamil Nadu by using this political crisis, and we do not want to be an obstacle to the TVK forming the new government.”

Mr. Thirumavalavan also made it clear that his party would extend unconditional support to the government from outside. When asked if the alliance with the DMK would continue, he said, “We are still in the DMK-led alliance. But as a political party, we have used our independence to take this stand. I don’t think this will affect our relationship.”

Published – May 09, 2026 07:39 pm IST

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Tamil Nadu government formation LIVE: TVK, AMMK lock horns, as Vijay looks to shore up numbers

admin — Sat, 09 May 2026 01:25:00 +0000

Plea in Supreme Court says Governor is ‘duty-bound’ to invite TVK to form government in Tamil Nadu

A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday (May 8, 2026), submitting that the Tamil Nadu Governor is duty-bound to invite Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party president C. Joseph Vijay, as the leader of the single largest party, was to form the government in the State and later prove the majority on the floor of the House.

The petition filed by Ezhilarasi P., who said she is a TVK party member based in Chennai, cited media reports that Governor Rajendra Arlekar may invite post-poll coalition parties in Tamil Nadu to form the government.

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