Vijay will take oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Sunday along with nine ministers, marking the first government outside the DMK-AIADMK formations in the state since 1967.
A file photo of TVK chief Vijay (PTI)
Actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, marking a historic political shift in the state.
Along with Vijay, nine senior TVK leaders are expected to be sworn in as ministers in the new cabinet during the ceremony at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 10 am, with heightened security arrangements in place ahead of the event.
Vijay had left his Neelankarai residence around 9 am before heading to the venue.
TVK secured enough support to cross the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, paving the way for Vijay to form the government.
While the party itself emerged with 108 seats, support from the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) took the coalition tally to 120.
FULL LIST OF MINISTERS TO TAKE OATH
According to the information shared, the following leaders are expected to take the oath as ministers along with Vijay.
- KA Sengottaiyan
- Aadhav Arjun
- N Anand
- Arunraj
- Raj Mohan
- Venkatraman
- TK Prabhu
- Keerthana
- CTR Nirmal Kumar
Congress leaders will not be on the swearing-in list, despite the party extending support to the TVK-led government.
VIJAY TO LEAD FIRST NON-DMK, NON-AIADMK GOVERNMENT SINCE 1967
With Vijay assuming office, Tamil Nadu is set to witness its first government outside the DMK and AIADMK formations in nearly six decades.
The development is being seen as a major political realignment in the state’s Dravidian political landscape.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Saturday formally appointed C Joseph Vijay as Chief Minister and directed him to prove his majority in the Assembly before May 13.
Vijay submitted letters of support from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML before being invited to form the government.
The oath-taking ceremony will also be attended by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
TVK’S DEBUT ELECTION SUCCESS
TVK’s rise has been one of the biggest political developments in Tamil Nadu politics in recent years.
The party, launched in 2024, secured a strong mandate in its debut Assembly election.
Vijay himself won from two constituencies, Perambur and Trichy East, and is expected to resign from one seat later.
Vijay’s campaign style, mass appeal, and crowd-pulling ability drew comparisons with former Chief Minister and actor MG Ramachandran.
Political observers also viewed his emergence as the return of a major actor-led political movement in Tamil Nadu after Vijayakanth.
VIJAY’S POLITICAL POSITIONING
Since entering politics formally, Vijay has projected himself as an alternative to the traditional Dravidian parties while simultaneously embracing core elements of Dravidian politics.
In his first major political speech in October 2024, Vijay described Periyar as his ideological leader while clarifying that his party would not adopt atheism.
He also referred to CN Annadurai, K Kamaraj, and BR Ambedkar as inspirations for TVK’s social justice vision.
The TVK chief has also openly embraced secular politics and spoken about inclusive governance.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore congratulated Vijay ahead of the swearing-in ceremony and said Tamil Nadu was looking forward to “change and new hope,” with expectations of “social justice, equality, development, and humane governance.”
FAMILY, SUPPORTERS REACT
Ahead of the swearing-in, Vijay’s father and filmmaker SA Chandrasekhar expressed happiness over the political milestone.
“Finally, Tamil people have succeeded through Vijay,” he said, while urging his son to “do everything for Tamilians.”
Family friends and supporters also expressed optimism about Vijay’s leadership, saying people had high expectations from the incoming administration and hoped he would surround himself with experienced advisors.
The Vijay-led ministry’s swearing-in is expected to formally begin a new political chapter in Tamil Nadu, with the actor-politician now preparing to transition from electoral success to governance.
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