Tamil Nadu: A 47-year-old worker of actor-politician C Joseph Vijay’s party allegedly attempted self-immolation in Tirunelveli, reportedly distressed over the obstacles facing Vijay’s path to becoming the state’s next Chief Minister. The man, identified as Isakkiyappan, suffered severe burn injuries in the incident and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. According to reports, Isakkiyappan took the extreme step as he was upset over the difficulties confronting Vijay and his party in efforts to form the next government in Tamil Nadu.
According to reports, Isakkiyappan is a resident of a village near Chettikulam in Tirunelveli district who is serving as the Deputy Secretary of the Volunteers Wing of the Valliyoor Union in the party.
Reports say Isakkiyappan sustained 30% burn injuries and has been admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Asaripallam, where he is currently undergoing intensive treatment in critical condition.
Tamil Nadu | Isakkiyappan (47), a resident of a village near Chettikulam in Tirunelveli district and serving as the Deputy Secretary of the Volunteers Wing of the Valliyoor Union in TVK, attempted self-immolation today. He sustained 30% burn injuries and has been admitted to the…
— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2026
Vijay Meets Governor for Third Time in Three Days
Meanwhile, the suspense surrounding government formation intensified further on Saturday as Vijay continued efforts to gather the support required to stake claim to power.
The actor-turned-politician made his third visit in three days to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, amid ongoing discussions aimed at securing enough backing to form the next government in the state.
Tamil Nadu Government Formation
As the suspense continues over the formation of the Tamil Nadu government with the VCK yet to announce its support to Vijay, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby on Saturday said that the Governor is allegedly ignoring the “time-tested democratic practice” of inviting the single largest political party or post-poll alliance.
VCK has won two seats in the assembly polls.TVK, which needs the support of 118 MLAs to form the government, is just short of one MLA.
The CPI and CPI(M), which have two seats each, and Congress, with five seats, had already extended their support to the Vijay-led TVK to move forward with a change from the traditional Dravidian DMK-AIADMK duopoly.
He also took a dig at the Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and said that “Lok Bhavan is not where the majority of a party is tested”.
Vijay To Become First CM Outside DMK, AIADMK
Earlier, Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan and staked a claim to form the government after garnering support from multiple parties.
Once sworn in, Vijay will become the first leader outside the DMK and AIADMK formations to head the Tamil Nadu government since 1967.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony scheduled at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. (ANI)
Also Read: Vijay’s TVK Short By 1 Seat, VCK Turns Kingmaker – Can Thol Thirumavalavan Become Tamil Nadu CM?
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
