In an unprecedented achievement in Indian electoral history, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) — a party founded just two years earlier in February 2024 — won 108 of 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu's 2026 election, becoming the single largest party and earning the right to form the government.
A Historic First
No political party in India had previously won a state government in its very first election. The nearest comparison in Tamil Nadu's own history is the DMK's sweep under Annadurai in 1967 — but even the DMK had contested earlier elections. TVK went directly from party registration to governing party in under two and a half years.
- TVK: 108 seats (34.92% vote share) — Single Largest Party
- DMK: 59 seats — Main Opposition
- AIADMK: 47 seats (later 43 after resignations)
- INC: 5 seats · PMK: 4 seats · IUML: 2 seats · VCK: 2 seats · CPI: 2 seats · CPI(M): 2 seats
- BJP: 1 seat · DMDK: 1 seat · AMMK: 1 seat
- Voting: April 23, 2026 · Results: May 4, 2026
How TVK Got to Majority
TVK's 108 seats left it 10 short of the 118-seat majority in the 234-seat House. The party formed a governing coalition with Congress (5), VCK (2), IUML (2), CPI (2), and CPI(M) (2), with additional support from four AIADMK MLAs who subsequently resigned from their parent party. The floor test on May 13 confirmed the government's majority with 144 votes in favour, 22 against.
Vijay's Reaction
"This is not my victory. This is the victory of every Tamil who dared to believe that politics can be clean. We will not forget this trust for a single day in office."
What Made TVK Win
Political analysts pointed to several factors: Vijay's mass popularity built over three decades of cinema, TVK's anti-corruption messaging resonating with voters fatigued by the DMK-AIADMK duopoly, a strong ground organisation built through two state conferences, and a credible 10-guarantee manifesto with rupee-committed promises.
The party's vote share of 34.92% was a first-election performance unmatched in Tamil Nadu's post-independence history. TVK contested all 234 constituencies — winning 108, finishing second in 67, and losing deposit in only 41.