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VCK sends mixed signals on supporting TVK to form govt

VCK sends mixed signals on supporting TVK to form govt

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesofindia.com 06.05.2026

Chennai : VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan has sent mixed signals on the question of extending support to TVK in the state assembly. In a statement issued early Tuesday, Thiruma said he wanted to express his ‘heartfelt gratitude to people who had endorsed coalition govt in the state, which was proposed by VCK.

’ “People have delivered the verdict in such a way that no single party has absolute majority required to form a govt. This teaches us a nuanced political lesson. In other words, it is clear that the people of Tamil Nadu desire coalition govt,” he said. He further said that TVK was not treated as VCK’s enemy. “Our goal was solely to protect secularism. Therefore, we did not position TVK as our primary target of opposition. Instead, we focused intensely on exposing the BJP and AIADMK,” he said and equated the votes won by DMK and TVK as those against ‘sangh parivar politics.’ While the statement was seen as VCK’s openness for a power-sharing agreement with TVK, Thiruma who spoke to reporters after calling on chief minister M K Stalin said VCK was “not exploring the possibility of a coalition govt with TVK.” 

“We are still with the DMK. We stand for secularism and will proceed with this alliance for the welfare of the people of TN. We are not expecting any invitation from TVK,” he said. “We have achieved 100% success in our objective. We are proud of it,” Thiruma said in the presence of CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPM state secretary P Shanmugam. However, Thiruma said they would take a joint decision with the left parties on the future course of action. “We are firm on our ideology-driven alliance. We will take a collective decision,” Thiruma said when responding to whether they would extend support for Vijay to form the govt. He refused to comment on reports of one alliance partner, the Congress leadership, tilting toward TVK. 

VCK general secretary D Ravikumar told TOI that VCK was not contemplating joining TVK nor had Vijay’s party reached out to them seeking support. “BJP will never allow that, and they also want Congress kept away from forming the govt. So, they will play their cards to bring AIADMK in to fit their game plan and help TVK form the govt,” he said

NOTA got 747 votes in seat that DMK lost by one vote

NOTA got 747 votes in seat that DMK lost by one vote

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 06.05.2026

Chennai : The NOTA (none of the above) option polled 747 votes in Tirupattur where DMK minister K R Periyakaruppan lost by one vote to TVK’s Seenivasa Sethupathy. In nine other constituencies too, NOTA polled more votes than the victory margins. 

TVK won four of the seats, AIADMK three, DMK two and BJP. Overall, NOTA polled 1,99,811 votes (0.41%) in 2026, a dip from 3,45,487 (0.75%) votes in 2021. NOTA polled 5,61,174 votes (1.3%) when it was introduced in 2016. Experts said the electoral reform lost its significance within a decade. “NOTA at its peak polled 7,000 to 8,000 votes in the first election. In this election, the highest NOTA got was 2,116 votes in Kavundampalayam. 

In a three-way contest, NOTA votes have come down,” said professor Ramu Manivannan, former head of the department of politics and political administration, University of Madras. “Without any power for recall or referendum or review of candidates, NOTA has become a kind of symbolic gesture. It’s a half-hearted electoral reform, and the political system is unwilling to review it,” he added. 

P Joseph Victor Raj, coordinator, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, National Election Watch, said the youth found an alternative with the entry of TVK, which brought down the number of dissent votes in 2026. 

Besides Tiruppatur, Paramathy Velur, Thirukoyilur, Kulithalai, Polur, Kallakurichi, Kumbakonam, Udhagamandalam, Veppanahalli and Kanyakumari had victory margins lower than the NOTA votes. In 2021, victory margins were lower than NOTA votes in 13 constituencies.

Deemed varsity engg degrees without AICTE nod invalid: HC

Deemed varsity engg degrees without AICTE nod invalid: HC 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  06.05.2026

Chennai : Engineering degrees obtained from deemed-to-be universities during a period without AICTE approval are not valid, the Madras high court said. Approval is mandatory for technical courses, and benefits based on unapproved degrees cannot be sustained, the court added. 

A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice K Surender passed the order on a review application moved by the Tamil Nadu Transport Corporation (Villupuram) Ltd seeking review of an order passed by the court dated June 25, 2025. The issue pertains to pleas moved by three employees of the corporation seeking to include their names in the seniority list of assistant engineers, taking into consideration their BE degree certificates. 

The court allowed the petitions, and an appeal moved by the corporation was also dismissed. Aggrieved, the corporation moved the present review and pointed out that the court failed to notice that recognition/approval of AICTE for technical courses is mandatory and, in the present case, the BE degrees obtained by the employees admittedly were not approved by AICTE during the academic years in which they completed the degree. 

The employees opposed the plea and contended that no such approval is required for degrees obtained through deemed-to-be universities. The university, through communication, admitted the fact that it did not obtain any approval from AICTE to conduct a BE (Mechanical) engineering course from the academic year 2002 onwards till 2017. Recording the submissions, the bench held that, therefore, the degrees obtained by the employees cannot be construed as valid degrees in view of the authoritative pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the Odisha case, which deals with the issue, and allowed the review application

Congress offers support to TVK but with a condition

Congress offers support to TVK but with a condition

TNCC says TVK, which emerged as the single-largest party, should not seek support from BJP or its alliance partners; CPI(M) to take a call on backing Vijay, who is likely to call on the Governor today

TVK chief Vijay pays tribute to the party’s ideological leaders ahead of a meeting at the party headquarters in Chennai. PTI

N. Sai Charan

CHENNAI. 06.05.2026

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, on Tuesday reached out to the Congress and the CPI(M) — constituents of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance — seeking support to form the government in Tamil Nadu, after the party emerged as the single largest in the Assembly with 108 seats, short of a simple majority in the 234-member House.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), after an online meeting with office-bearers, said it would extend support to the TVK subject to the condition that it should not seek the support of the lone BJP MLA-designate or any alliance partners of the BJP. The Congress won five seats in the election.

In New Delhi, All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal confirmed that the TVK had formally sought the Congress’s backing.

“The Congress is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government, committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit. The Congress is determined not to have the BJP or its proxies run the Tamil Nadu government. Accordingly, the party leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision on Mr. Vijay’s request, keeping in view the sentiments of the State reflected in the electoral verdict,” he said.

Mr. Venugopal said this after a meeting on the political situation in Tamil Nadu with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar, and other leaders.

However, it is not clear whether the Congress will extend outside support or will be part of the government. Since Mr. Vijay has to resign from one of the two constituencies (Perambur and Tiruchi East) he was elected from, effectively, the TVK would have 107 MLAs. This would bring down the strength of the House to 233. Thus, even if the Congress decides to support the TVK, the party would need the support of five more MLAs to cross the halfway mark.

The TVK approached the CPI(M), which won two seats, for support through party MP Su. Venkatesan. “TVK strategist Jhon Arokiasamy approached Mr. Venkatesan on Tuesday. But only our party’s State committee can take a decision,” said CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam. The party’s State committee meeting is scheduled to be held on Friday.

According to sources, Mr. Vijay and senior leaders of the party have sought an appointment to meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday.

Cong. offers support to TVK but with condition

Cong. offers support to TVK but with condition

06.05.2026. THE HINDU E PAPER

Being the leader of the single-largest party, Mr. Vijay is likely to either stake claim or seek additional time to form the government. It remains to be seen if he would seek the support of any other allies of the DMK or AIADMK to prove his majority.

On Tuesday morning, the actor-turned politician held a meeting with TVK’s MLA-designates at the party headquarters in Panaiyur, where he was elected as the legislature party leader.

Now, the focus is on which Assembly segment Mr. Vijay will retain, and, if he forms the government, who will be part of his Council of Ministers and their portfolios.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vijay sent clear signals to the BJP-led Union government. Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message, Mr. Vijay, in a post on X, thanked him and said, “The well-being of our people remains our only goal. Transcending politics, we shall focus on the State’s progress and the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu. We look forward to the Union government’s support in this endeavour.”

Replying to Mr. Gandhi’s greetings, he said, “We shall remain committed to excellence in public service and preserving the cultural ethos of our State, which requires collective cooperation. Beyond politics, we shall prioritise the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu.”

(With inputs from B. Kolappan and Udhav Naig)