Actor-turned-politician Vijay, chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has approached the Congress for support after his party’s breakthrough performance in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election upended the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal confirmed that Vijay has sought the party’s backing to form the next government. He said the Tamil Nadu Congress unit will convene a meeting in Chennai to decide its stand. According to him, the party’s priority is to ensure that the state gets what he described as a “secular government,” ruling out any support that could indirectly benefit the BJP.

Sources indicated that the Congress high command has authorised its state leadership to take an independent call on the issue. There are indications that other parties may also extend support to TVK, though no formal announcements have been made yet.

Before assuming office, Vijay must formally stake claim to form the government. Only after receiving the Governor’s invitation can the swearing-in take place.

Tamil Nadu Congress in-charge Girish Chodankar confirmed that Vijay had written to the Congress president seeking assistance. He acknowledged that the Congress did not perform strongly in the election and noted that TVK appeared to have gained significant backing from young voters and women. He reiterated that the public mood favoured a non-BJP formation.

In the 234-member Assembly, TVK secured 108 seats, making it the single-largest party. However, it fell short of the majority mark of 118, setting the stage for intense political negotiations in the days ahead.

In his first public message after the results, Vijay thanked supporters for standing by him despite criticism and scepticism when he launched his party. Writing in Tamil on social media platform X, he said the movement had faced hostility and dismissal but persevered with faith in the people of Tamil Nadu. He described the public’s support as unwavering and expressed gratitude for what he called a historic mandate.

The election outcome marks a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, which for decades has been shaped by alternating rule between the DMK and AIADMK.