Government formation in Tamil Nadu remained uncertain on Saturday morning, with Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol. Thirumavalavan emerging as the central figure in the high-stakes political drama unfolding after the Assembly election results.Actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has staked claim to form the government, was still awaiting formal support from the VCK even as intense negotiations continued through Friday night and into Saturday morning.The suspense around Thirumavalavan’s stand triggered widespread speculation in political circles, with discussions ranging from a possible Deputy Chief Minister’s role for the VCK chief in a TVK-led government to even the possibility of him emerging as a consensus candidate in a broader anti-TVK arrangement involving the DMK and AIADMK.Amid the uncertainty, TVK also found itself facing its first major controversy after an alleged horse-trading episode involving Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).AS per media reports, TVK leaders believed late Friday night that they had crossed the majority mark after securing support from AMMK’s lone MLA. The legislator, who was staying at a resort in Puducherry along with AIADMK legislators, was allegedly taken outside briefly and persuaded to sign a letter backing TVK after being promised a Cabinet berth in a future government.TVK leaders reportedly photographed the signed letter, forwarded it to Chennai and presented it before Governor Rajendra Arlekar as proof of support. However, the original document allegedly remained with the MLA.The situation changed dramatically after Raj Bhavan reportedly sought formal verification and asked for an official letter on AMMK letterhead. AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran soon denied supporting TVK and instead reaffirmed his backing for AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami.The MLA, who was briefly untraceable during the night’s political manoeuvring, was later brought before the Governor’s office around midnight, effectively puncturing TVK’s claim of securing majority support.The episode has now triggered allegations of attempted horse-trading and caused visible discomfort within TVK circles. Senior party leaders privately admitted that the controversy had damaged the momentum built after the election results. Some leaders blamed TVK campaign manager Aadhav Arjuna, alleging the negotiations were “badly handled”.With the AMMK support claim collapsing, TVK’s effective tally remained at 116, leaving the party dependent on VCK’s support to cross the majority mark.However, Thirumavalavan continued to maintain suspense.Sources close to the VCK leader indicated that discussions were still underway with multiple political camps. Though signals from the VCK camp early Saturday suggested eventual support for TVK, no formal announcement had been made till morning.A press conference venue was reportedly prepared, but Tamil Nadu continued to wait for the final word that could decide the shape of the next government in the state.