The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay has reached out to the Congress seeking support to form the government, confirmed Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Tuesday.The Congress also held detailed deliberations at the residence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on the evolving political situation in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, as a fractured mandate and swift moves by Vijay have pushed government formation into a phase of intense negotiations.With no party securing a majority, the Congress signalled that it is weighing its options carefully, even as it made clear that it does not want the BJP to be part of the government that eventually takes shape. Senior party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and those from Tamil Nadu, attended the meeting, where discussions centred on the post-election arithmetic and the request for support from the TVK.Venugopal said the leadership had reviewed the situation and asked the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to take a final decision on the TVK’s request, keeping in view the message reflected in the electoral verdict. The call has been left to the state unit after consultations, he added.“The Congress is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit. It is determined not to have the BJP and the proxies run the government of Tamil Nadu in any manner,” said Venugopal.Referring to Vijay’s outreach, Venugopal said the development led to the meeting in Delhi and noted that the TVK leader had spoken about drawing inspiration from former Congress stalwart K Kamaraj.The TVK has emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, 10 short of the majority mark of 118. Vijay has approached Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, staking claim to form the government and seeking time to prove his majority on the floor of the House.Sources indicated that the TVK is counting on support from key allies of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), including the Congress (five seats), Communist Party of India (two), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (two), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (two). Such a realignment, if it materialises, would mark a significant rupture in the DMK-Congress alliance, which has already shown signs of strain.Sources in the Congress pointed out that the party had explored a possible tie-up with the TVK ahead of the elections and used that leverage during seat-sharing talks with the DMK. Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar had acknowledged that there was internal support for an alliance with Vijay, but said broader coalition considerations had led the party to stay within the INDIA bloc framework.Another option before the TVK is support from the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which has five seats and is aligned with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). However, a direct understanding with the AIADMK appears unlikely, given its association with the BJP, which Vijay has repeatedly described as his ideological opponent.Sources said any such alignment could also open space for the BJP, unless the AIADMK reconsiders its ties.As per sources, even if the TVK manages to form a minority government, governance could remain politically delicate, particularly in managing relations with the BJP-led Centre.Chodankar said the verdict reflected a clear desire for change among voters, pointing to significant backing for the TVK from women and younger voters. He said the party respects the mandate and had submitted a detailed report on the election outcome to the central leadership, including Kharge, Gandhi and Venugopal.Sources said the swearing-in could take place as early as May 7. Vijay, who has won from both Perambur and Trichy East, has delivered a strong electoral performance, particularly in Chennai where the TVK secured 14 of the 16 seats, breaching what has traditionally been a stronghold of the DMK.With the numbers still fluid and multiple options on the table, attention is now on the Governor’s next move and the alignments that will determine who forms the next government in Tamil Nadu.