Live: What's brewing in TN? DMK 'asks' Stalin to take decision for a 'stable' govt
Earlier, TVK had been asked to prove majority support again before government formation; AIADMK MLAs swarm Puducherry resort
TVK founder Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday (May 7), during which the Governor reportedly asked him to return only after securing the support of 118 MLAs required to form the government in the state. The TVK has not established the requisite majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu, Arelkar told Vijay, according to a Lok Bhavan (formerly Raj Bhavan) release.
As per reports, Vijay is holding a crucial meeting of his party’s newly elected MLAs on Thursday to discuss government formation. The meeting comes in the wake of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) falling short of meeting a simple majority to form the government. Though the Congress with 5 MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay's party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Also read | Will Vijay make it to the CM’s chair? Do others still have a chance?
Meanwhile, more than a dozen newly elected AIADMK MLAs, reportedly inclined towards supporting actor the TVK, have been moved to a resort in Puducherry, fuelling speculation of internal dissent against AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS).
The TVK won 108 seats in the Assembly elections held on April 23. Vijay will have to resign from one of the two constituencies he had won, leaving the strength to 107. The party therefore needs 11 more seats to form the government, of which the Congress has already offered five.
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Live Updates
- 7 May 2026 8:26 PM IST
Tamil Nadu: DMK-AIADMK to form govt?
The DMK Legislature Party convened a crucial meeting on Thursday (May 7, passing a unanimous resolution that authorises party leader and outgoing Chief Minister MK Stalin to take "urgent decisions". It said the party is working towards securing a 'stable' government in Tamil Nadu, according to local media reports.
The move comes as the DMK and AIADMK are reportedly in talks to form a government.
- 7 May 2026 8:04 PM IST
Post-poll violence continues in Bengal as 1 injured in BJP-TMC clashes in Howrah
Post-poll violence continued in West Bengal on Thursday as supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly clashed in Shibpur area of Howrah in the state. At least one person was injured.
According to reports, the incident happened following verbal altercations.
Tensions prevailed in the neighbourhood following the clashes.
Howrah City police rushed in to curb the escalation of violence. A significant number of police personnel were deployed in Chaurabasti area.
Howrah City Police Commissioner Akhilesh Chaturvedi reassured the public that the police kept a close watch on the situation.
Several instances of violence were reported from Bengal since the results of the 2026 Assembly elections were declared. On Wednesday (May 6), Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead by unidentified miscreants near Kolkata.
- 7 May 2026 7:50 PM IST
Bengal Governor RN Ravi dissolves state Assembly even as Mamata refuses to quit
West Bengal Governor R N Ravi on Thursday dissolved the state's Legislative Assembly with effect from the same day after completion of its term, according to an official notification.
The current Assembly was constituted in May 2021 after the Trinamool Congress, under the leadership of outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, returned to power for the third consecutive term in the state. Mamata, however, has refused to resign from the post of the CM so far, alleging electoral malpractices by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission.
The dissolution marks the formal completion of the tenure of the outgoing assembly, following the recently concluded two-phase elections.
The notification was issued by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs.
The BJP is set to form the next government, which is expected to take oath on Saturday (May 9).
- 7 May 2026 7:24 PM IST
UDF allies meet Congress observers to decide next Kerala CM
United Democratic Front (UDF) members, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kerala Congress, on Thursday met with the observers sent by the Congress high command to hold talks with party and front MLAs and leaders on who should be the next chief minister of Kerala.
Following the meeting with the observers — Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken — IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty told reporters here that the party's stand on the issue was communicated to the Congress leaders.
"They patiently heard us and said they will report it to their high command in Delhi. We will wait for further communication from Delhi and when it comes, we will discuss the same in our party and will take a decision," Kunhalikutty, who won with a huge majority from the state's Malappuram Assembly seat, said.
He was accompanied by party leaders P M A Salam and E T Mohammed Basheer.
- 7 May 2026 7:14 PM IST
Support to TVK: VCK, Left party leaders meet DMK chief Stalin
VCK and Left party leaders on Thursday (May 7) called on outgoing Chief Minister MK Stalin amidst Vijay-led TVK’s request for support in government formation.
The three allies of the DMK will meet separately on Friday (May 8) to decide on the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's request, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said, emerging from his meeting with DMK president Stalin at his Alwarpet residence in Chennai.
Before meeting Stalin, Thirumavalavan and CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam held a discussion among themselves. The three allies of the Dravidian major won two seats each respectively in the April 23 Assembly election.
The DMK’s long-time ally, the Congress, with five newly-elected MLAs, had already forged a post-poll alliance with the TVK.
"We can’t make a magic decision. VCK’s high-level committee will meet tomorrow and make a final decision. The Left parties will also meet in their respective offices," Thirumavalavan told reporters.
Asked about the meeting with Stalin, the VCK chief replied, "We discussed the poll outcome."
The TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member strong Tamil Nadu Assembly in the recently held elections.
Though the Congress party, which has five MLAs, has extended support to TVK, the actor-politician-led party was still short of as many seats to touch the magic number of 118, the majority mark in the 234-member House.
- 7 May 2026 7:01 PM IST
DMK slams Congress over ‘betrayal,’ passes resolution
The DMK on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, accusing its former ally of political betrayal and formally passing a resolution condemning the national party at its legislative members’ meeting.
In one of the strongest worded resolutions adopted by the party, the DMK said the All India Congress Committee’s decision to walk out of the secular progressive alliance “is deserving of severe condemnation,” adding that the move showed Congress “has not shed its old traits.”
The resolution pointed out that Congress had benefited electorally within the alliance, securing representation in the Rajya Sabha and contesting 28 Assembly seats, only to allegedly shift political loyalties within days.
“Yet, the victory won through the hard work of alliance party workers was gambled away as the Congress Party switched to the opposing front within three days,” the resolution said.
The DMK also cited developments in Puducherry as evidence of strained trust, claiming Congress fielded candidates in constituencies allotted to the DMK during the election itself.
“Not after the election, but even as the election was underway, the Congress Party proved it cannot be trusted!” the party declared.
In a particularly stinging remark, the DMK said, “They stabbed us in the back and committed a grave betrayal,” comparing Congress’ actions to tactics it accused the BJP of employing in other states.
- 7 May 2026 6:11 PM IST
TVK leader Nirmal Kumar meets CPI, CPI(M) leaders to seek support
TVK leader CTR Nirmal Kumar on Thursday (May 7) called on CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam and sought their support in forming a government, emphasising a share in power.
The TVK joint general secretary personally visited the Left party offices in Chennai and handed over the letters requesting their support on behalf of the party. The Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam lacks a simple majority to form the government on its own.
Kumar pointed out that TVK founder Vijay had already stated that there must be a share in governance and power, as well.
"Only then the parties can implement their respective ideologies and policies," he said, and added that "TVK is under no pressure at the moment”.
- 7 May 2026 6:07 PM IST
No support for Vijay, says AIADMK leader
AIADMK senior leader KP Anbalagan has categorically ruled out extending any support to actor Vijay's TVK, describing the film star as lacking the fundamental qualifications needed to lead a government.
"Why should we gather here to support Vijay? People like Vijay should not form a government here," Anbalagan said at a press conference, questioning the actor's political credentials. "He is just a cinema actor. Using his fame from cinema, Vijay is trying to create an impression — but how many seats has he actually won here?"
Anbalagan accused parties like the Congress of backing Vijay purely out of a desire for power, and made clear the AIADMK would maintain its independent stance. "AIADMK stands as a separate entity," he said. "Under the leadership of Edappadi Palaniswami, the party functions under a single leadership."
The senior leader confirmed that the party's full legislative strength — 47 MLAs in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry — remained firmly united behind Edappadi Palaniswami.
