C Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 10 May at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
The ceremony marked the end of nearly six decades of alternating rule by the Dravidian parties, DMK and AIADMK.
Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), formed the government with support from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML, after securing 108 seats in the assembly elections.
According to The Hindu, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath to Vijay and nine other TVK ministers. Security was heightened around the venue, and traffic restrictions were implemented to manage the large gathering of supporters and officials.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the TVK Cabinet includes N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KG Arunraj, K A Sengottaiyan, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, TK Prabhu, and S Keerthana. The party, established just two years prior, secured the support of Congress and other parties, bringing its coalition tally to 120 MLAs, surpassing the majority mark in the 234-member assembly.
As highlighted by Deccan Herald, the event drew over 5,000 guests, including political leaders, newly elected legislators, and supporters. Notable attendees included Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, former Chief Minister M K Stalin, alliance leaders, and prominent figures from the film industry.
As noted in an article by The News Minute, Vijay’s rise to Chief Minister marks a significant political shift, as he is only the third film star after MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa to hold the office in Tamil Nadu. TVK’s victory ended the Dravidian duopoly that had dominated the state since 1967, with the party’s campaign focusing on Vijay’s personal appeal and large-scale public engagement.
Coverage revealed that the Governor directed Vijay to prove his majority in the assembly by 13 May. The coalition government was formed after intense negotiations, with Congress and other parties joining to ensure a non-DMK, non-AIADMK leadership for the first time in decades.
Political developments following the election included the Congress leaving the DMK-led alliance to support TVK, and the VCK and IUML providing unconditional backing. The coalition’s total strength reached 121 seats, with Congress MLA P Viswanathan set to join the cabinet.
Celebrations by supporters were evident as the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee released a themed video to mark Vijay’s ascent.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.