Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, marking a dramatic shift in the state’s political landscape. The grand swearing-in ceremony held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai was attended by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with several political leaders and film personalities.
Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) has ended the six-decade dominance of the Dravidian parties, DMK and AIADMK, in Tamil Nadu politics. Now the new government will have to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly by May 13.
The 51-year-old leader was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. During the oath-taking ceremony, Vijay attempted to speak beyond the prescribed text, prompting the Governor to interrupt and ask him to stick to the written oath.
Soon after assuming office, Vijay signed three key orders from the stage itself. These included providing free electricity up to 200 units for domestic consumers, creating a special force in every district to tackle drug-related issues, and forming a special task force for women’s safety.
Along with Vijay, nine ministers were sworn into the cabinet. The ministry includes several close aides and key strategists of TVK, including N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K. A. Sengottaiyan, K. G. Arunraaj, P. Venkataramanan, CTR Nirmal Kumar, Rajmohan, Keerthana, and K. T. Prabhu. The cabinet includes one woman minister and one representative from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community.
In his first address after taking oath, Vijay said he was not from any royal lineage and that people welcomed and accepted him. He said he will not deceive people with false promises. Calling it a “new beginning,” he said a new era of real, secular, social justice begins now.
Rahul Gandhi’s presence at the ceremony drew significant attention. The Congress party had announced support to the TVK government after the election results. Vijay’s victory is being viewed as a major shift in public sentiment in Tamil Nadu, where politics has long revolved around the DMK and AIADMK. With TVK forming the government in its very first election, the state now appears to have entered a new political phase.
Thousands of supporters gathered at the venue, with chants of “Thalapathy” echoing throughout the stadium. Vijay’s parents, S. A. Chandrasekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar, were also present at the ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated TVK chief C Joseph Vijay on taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, and said the central government will keep working with the state government to improve the lives of people.
Founded in February 2024, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam delivered a remarkable performance in its debut election by winning 108 seats. With the support of Congress and Left parties, the alliance is confident of crossing the majority mark of 118 in the Assembly. Support from the VCK and IUML has reportedly pushed the alliance tally to around 120 seats.
After the ceremony, Chief Minister Vijay thanked Congress, VCK, and the Left parties for supporting the formation of his government. He urged the public to give his administration adequate time to deliver results. Vijay also announced that his government would release a white paper on the state’s financial condition and promised complete transparency in governance. At the same time, he accused the previous government of burdening Tamil Nadu with heavy debt.