The Tamil Nadu Congress has unanimously decided to support the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), paving the way for the actor Vijay-led party to form the next state government after falling 10 seats short of a majority mark in the recently concluded Assembly elections.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K Selvaperunthagai chaired a late-night virtual meeting with party MLAs and senior leaders to finalize the decision.

Vijay's TVK, contesting its maiden Tamil Nadu assembly election, won 108 seats. In the 234-member House, the majority mark stands at 118. With the Congress party's five seats, TVK's tally rises to 113.

In Chennai, TVK leaders said that Vijay is likely to meet Tamil Nadu Governor-in-Charge Rajendra Arlekar at Lok Bhavan today, 6 May. After the meeting, the party will decide on the swearing-in and the cabinet formation. The swearing-in ceremony could take place on 7 May, they added.

There has been speculation that TVK will ally with the AIADMK. However, this does not seem very likely, as AIADMK contested the election with the BJP, a party Vijay has opposed.

The online meeting of the Congress held late into the night saw detailed deliberations on the evolving political situation in Tamil Nadu and the strategic implications of aligning with TVK, news agencies said.

In Delhi, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal confirmed that Vijay had sought Congress's support in Tamil Nadu. He said that the party leadership has directed the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to take a final decision.

Congress extending support to the TVK marks a decisive shift not only in Tamil Nadu but also at the Centre, where the Congress allies with the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the INDIA bloc. The Opposition camps will have to reconsider the dynamics between the parties and their strategy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2029.

(With agency inputs)