D.K. Shivakumar Criticises Tamil Nadu Governor Over TVK Government Formation Issue

Bengaluru, May 2026 : D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday criticised the reported decision of Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar regarding actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay and the formation of the next government in Tamil Nadu, calling the move against democratic principles.

Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said that the Governor does not have the authority to stop a political party from staking claim to form the government if it is in a position to demonstrate majority support in the Assembly.

“The Governor of Tamil Nadu has no authority whatsoever to prevent Vijay from forming the government and proving his majority. The Governor’s conduct is not right,” Shivakumar said while reacting to the ongoing political developments in the neighbouring state.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Vijay, emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections after securing 108 seats in the 234-member House. However, the party still remains short of the majority mark and has been engaged in discussions with smaller parties and allies to secure the numbers required to form the government.

Referring to constitutional precedents, Shivakumar said several Governors and Presidents in the past had invited the single largest party to form the government and allowed it to prove its majority on the floor of the House. He cited political developments in Karnataka and at the national level to support his argument.

“In Karnataka too, former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa was allowed to form the government. Former Presidents K. R. Narayanan and A. P. J. Abdul Kalam had also followed the same democratic practice. Even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was invited to form the government and asked to prove the majority later,” he said.

According to Shivakumar, the same democratic principle should apply in Tamil Nadu as well. He stressed that in a parliamentary democracy, the legitimacy of a government is ultimately determined on the floor of the Assembly and not through assumptions made outside the legislature.

“This is democracy. Even one vote can decide whether a government has a majority or minority. If they fail to prove their numbers, then the next constitutional option can be considered,” he added.

The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister also underlined the importance of respecting the electoral mandate and public sentiment in every state. He said the will of the people should remain central to any decision related to government formation.

“One must respect the sentiments of the people of the state,” Shivakumar remarked.

Apart from the Tamil Nadu political developments, Shivakumar also spoke about civic infrastructure plans in Bengaluru. He said the government had received proposals for the construction of a new Bengaluru North Corporation office at multiple locations across the city.

According to him, ministers and legislators have expressed different opinions regarding the site selection, and the final decision would be taken only after a detailed inspection of the proposed locations.

“We have received proposals for three to four sites. Ministers and MLAs have given their suggestions. A final decision will be taken after inspecting all the locations,” he said.

When asked whether the proposed office would be constructed at the University of Agricultural Sciences campus in GKVK, Shivakumar clarified that no such proposal was currently under consideration.

Responding to another query regarding his recent meeting with Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Shivakumar said the discussions were related to irrigation projects in Belagavi district and developmental issues concerning the region.

The remarks by Shivakumar come amid continuing political uncertainty in Tamil Nadu, where parties are actively negotiating alliances and support to secure the majority required to form the next government.