Tamil Nadu is in the middle of a political standoff that has pulled in an unlikely set of voices. After Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar chose not to invite Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief Vijay to form the government, despite his party finishing ahead of all others in the May 4 Assembly polls, reactions poured in from across the state.
Actor Prakash Raj, shared his interaction with Times Now on X. “It’s been five days since the results were declared. People are waiting. These MLAs are elected representatives of the people, let them decide on the floor of the House. Who is the Governor to decide?” He padded it with his signature hashtag, #justasking.
#justasking https://t.co/MnHZV74o3l
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) May 8, 2026
Bollywood director Rahul Dholakia, known for Raaes, posted on X: “Clearly the people of Tamil Nadu prefer Actor Vijay over most others, so he should be given the first chance. Details should be a formality not an obstacle. #Democracy”
Clearly the people of Tamil Nadu prefer @actorvijay over most others- so he should be given the first chance – Details should be a formality not an obstacle. #Democracy
— rahul dholakia (@rahuldholakia) May 8, 2026
Among those who chose to say something were two actors who do not usually wade into political territory. Sibi Sathyaraj, whose father is veteran actor Sathyaraj, put it plainly on X: “The people of Tamil Nadu have decided and voted for the person they want as their leader and that has to be acknowledged and respected!”
The people of Tamil Nadu have decided and voted for the person they want as their leader and that has to be acknowledged and respected!@TVKVijayHQ
— Sibi Sathyaraj (@Sibi_Sathyaraj) May 7, 2026
Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, son of filmmaker Bhagyaraj and someone who has mostly stayed away from political commentary, also posted on X: “Not being given the democratic right with the mandate is completely unfair.”
Not being given the democratic right with the mandate is completely unfair …
— Shanthnu (@imKBRshanthnu) May 8, 2026
For those tracking which industry voices were speaking up, both actors had shown support for Vijay earlier in the year on a different matter. When Jana Nayagan, Vijay’s final film, ran into serious trouble with the CBFC, Sibi Sathyaraj said he was confident good things would happen for Vijay, while Shanthnu Bhagyaraj described events around the film’s blocked release as heartbreaking and said fans would stand by the team.
Also Read: Kamal Haasan, Khushbu, Vishal unite to demand Vijay’s swearing-in amid Raj Bhavan standoff
Shriya Saran on Instagram
Actress Shriya Saran extended her support through an Instagram post, backing the call to respect the election outcome. Earlier, while speaking to NDTV around the time of the results, she said that voters in Tamil Nadu had not come to trust Vijay overnight. “Fans had watched him over many years and seen the quiet work he had done for people around him. I believe he would bring genuine change to the state.” she said
Not everyone who wished Vijay well after the results has commented on what came after. Rajinikanth posted his congratulations on X, praising the TVK president and party members on their strong showing in the Assembly elections. He has not said anything publicly about the Governor’s refusal to invite Vijay to form the government. Given the scale of the debate, that silence has been noticed, with fans questioning him. Dhanush wrote on X that TVK had earned extraordinary public trust and love in Tamil Nadu on its debut at the ballot box. Sivakarthikeyan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, and A R Murugadoss were among others who congratulated Vijay after the results.
What the row is actually about
TVK secured 108 seats in the 234-seat Assembly on its very first electoral outing, making it the single largest party in a house where no one crossed the majority mark of 118. On Wednesday, Vijay visited the Governor and formally staked his claim, submitting what the party said was sufficient evidence of majority support. The Governor disagreed and sent him back without an invitation.
With support from the Congress, VCK and Left parties, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led by Vijay crossed the halfway mark on Friday, with backing from 118 MLAs.
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