Chennai: In a landmark moment for Tamil Nadu politics, C. Joseph Vijay, president of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was sworn in as the state’s new Chief Minister on Sunday, ending nearly six decades of dominance by the Dravidian parties DMK and AIADMK.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai at 10 a.m., where Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathy Vijay, along with nine other ministers, assumed office. This development follows TVK’s strong performance in the April 23 Assembly elections, where the party secured 108 seats as the single largest formation, though short of the 118-seat majority mark on its own.
According to reports from The Hindu, Vijay secured the necessary support to form the government after negotiations with allied parties, including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The coalition’s combined strength reached 120 MLAs, providing a clear majority. Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar invited Vijay to form the government on May 9.
The new administration will operate as a coalition, with Congress participating in the ministry. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to attend the swearing-in. Outgoing Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has indicated that the DMK would play the role of a constructive opposition.
Among those sworn in alongside Vijay are senior TVK leaders such as Aadhav Arjuna, ‘Bussy’ Anand, and Sengottaiyan. The ceremony marks TVK’s debut in electoral politics, highlighting a significant shift in the state’s political landscape driven by the actor’s popularity and anti-incumbency sentiments against the previous regime.
The new Chief Minister and his cabinet are required to prove their majority on the floor of the Assembly by May 13. This transition has generated widespread enthusiasm among Vijay’s supporters, who view it as a fresh chapter for Tamil Nadu.