BJP rejects power push in Tamil Nadu: ‘People have not given us any mandate’, says Nainar Nagendran

Tamil Nadu woke up to intense political drama on Friday as parties rushed into meetings, phone calls, and negotiations after the assembly election produced a fractured verdict. While actor-turned-politician Vijay moved quickly to gather support for forming the government, the state unit of the BJP made it clear that it would stay away from the race for power.

The statement came from Nainar Nagenthran, whose party managed to win only one seat in the election. In a written statement, he said the BJP fully accepted the people’s decision and would not join hands with any party to help form the next government in Tamil Nadu.

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BJP says public did not give it a mandate

Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran- “BJP wholeheartedly accepts the election results. Furthermore, we believe that the people have not given the BJP any opportunity or power to form the government in Tamil Nadu in this election. We deeply respect the will of the people of… pic.twitter.com/ebfGlcOTBl

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— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026

After the results, there was speculation over whether smaller parties and alliances could play a role in deciding the next government. But the BJP attempted to end those discussions early.

Nainar Nagenthran said the party had contested the elections with commitment and energy, focusing on the welfare and development of the people of Tamil Nadu. However, he admitted that the results clearly showed that voters had not chosen the BJP to govern the state.

Also Read: Is this the end of the Dravidian duopoly? Vijay redraws Tamil Nadu’s political map

He said the party respected the democratic verdict and had no interest in participating in any attempt to form the new government. According to him, the BJP would also not vote in favour of any party trying to gather numbers for power.

Vijay’s TVK emerges as the main challenger

The biggest story of the election has been the rise of Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). In its first major electoral battle, the party won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, placing Vijay at the center of government formation talks.

But the victory was not enough on its own. The magic number required to form the government is 118, leaving TVK short by 10 seats.

Since results came out, Vijay and his party leaders have reportedly been in continuous talks with other parties to secure support. The fractured mandate has created situation where even smaller parties suddenly hold major importance.

Congress breaks away from DMK

One of the biggest political developments came when the Congress decided to support Vijay conditionally and cut ties with the DMK.

Congress has five MLAs, and with their backing, the TVK alliance strength rises to 113 seats. That still leaves Vijay five seats short of the majority mark, but it has pushed the negotiations into a serious phase.

Political observers believe the Congress decision may reshape opposition politics in Tamil Nadu. The move also increased pressure on regional and Left parties, which now have the power to decide whether Tamil Nadu gets a new coalition government led by TVK.

Smaller parties hold the key to power

Attention has now shifted to parties with smaller numbers but crucial influence.

Thol Thirumavalavan said the high-level committee of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) would meet in the evening to discuss the current political situation and TVK’s request for support. The VCK has two seats, and its support could move Vijay closer to the majority line.

At the same time, both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India held executive meetings to decide their stand. CPI(M) and CPI have two seats each.

If VCK, CPI(M), and CPI all decide to back TVK along with Congress, Vijay’s numbers would comfortably cross the majority mark. That would allow him to form the government in Tamil Nadu in his very first electoral attempt.