On May 4, in Tamil Nadu, in a dramatic verdict that overturned pre-poll predictions, the incumbent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) lost, while Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), in its electoral debut, got overwhelming support. It stopped just short of a simple majority, with no rival party or pre-poll coalition coming close. In the aftermath, both democratic convention and judicial precedent dictate that the single-largest party has the strongest claim to form the government. Yet, Governor R V Arlekar’s stalling, his insistence on a list with signatures of MLAs, kept the doors open for rumour and speculation, and untenable claims. On Friday, armed with the numbers, Vijay met the governor again, and........

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