CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu, May 10 (ANI) — Tamil Nadu witnessed one of the most dramatic political transitions in its modern history Sunday as actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay took oath as the 13th chief minister of the state, ending the decades-long political dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and ushering in what he called “a new era of real, secular, and social justice.”
The swearing-in ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai unfolded with the grandeur associated with “Thalapathy.” Vijay arrived in a black suit paired with a white full-sleeved shirt and black trousers, a cinematic departure from the traditional white shirt and veshti generally worn by Tamil Nadu politicians during oath-taking ceremonies.
As thousands of supporters erupted in cheers, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay and his cabinet colleagues.
In his first speech as chief minister, Vijay repeatedly emphasized his humble background and rejected any larger-than-life political image.
“My dear people, my own family … I am not some divine messenger or prophet. I am just an ordinary human being living a normal life. I will never deceive you with false promises. I will only promise what is possible,” he said to loud applause.
“I do not come from a royal family. I am just like your son, your daughter, your elder brother, or your younger brother. That is how I see myself. And it was because you saw me that way that you gave me such a great place in cinema,” he added.
Thanking young voters and children who campaigned for him, Vijay made special mention of his Gen Z supporters.
“A special word of thanks to the little friends who call me ‘Vijay Mama.’ It is because of them that all of this has happened. I will repay my debt of gratitude to you by working for your future. Stay confident — this Vijay Mama will always be there for you,” he said.
Vijay also recalled the hardships and humiliations he faced during his political rise.
“Throughout this journey and this process, I faced countless hardships and humiliations. But despite all that, you too endured difficulties and insults for my sake. You treated my pain as your own and stood beside me throughout,” he said.
Calling his victory “a new beginning,” the founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam declared, “Come, let all of us together give Tamil Nadu a fresh new government. This is the start of a new era of real, secular, and social justice.”
The speech soon shifted to governance as Vijay launched a direct attack on the previous DMK government led by former Chief Minister M K Stalin. Claiming Tamil Nadu had been left financially strained, Vijay alleged the previous administration accumulated debt exceeding Rs 10 lakh crore.
“The last government has gone out after borrowing debts of more than Rs 10 lakh crore. The treasury had been completely emptied before they left office,” Vijay said. “Only after going inside and seeing things firsthand can one understand what is there and what is not.”
He announced that his government would release a “white paper” on Tamil Nadu’s finances covering the 2021-2026 period.
“I want my government to be transparent. Whatever I do, I will do openly and transparently. I will not meet people secretly or behind closed doors,” he declared.
Vijay also promised strict action against drug abuse, stronger law-and-order measures, and enhanced women’s safety.
“From today onward, I will begin taking strong measures to control drug abuse. It is our duty to save our youngsters from it. I will ensure law and order and guarantee safety for everyone,” he said.
Moments after taking the oath, Vijay delivered a signature “movie-star-meets-mass-leader” moment by taking a selfie with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and alliance leaders on stage before turning his camera toward the crowd and recording a 360-degree video of the occasion.
Among the prominent attendees at the ceremony were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan, CPI(M) leader P Shanmugam, Vijay’s parents S A Chandrasekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar, actress Trisha Krishnan, and several leading figures from the Tamil film industry.
Soon after taking charge at the Secretariat in Fort St. George, Vijay signed his first set of government orders. The most significant granted 200 units of free electricity every two months to eligible domestic consumers, doubling the earlier 100-unit subsidy.
The scheme, expected to cost the government Rs 1,730 crore annually, applies to consumers using up to 500 units every two months.
He also approved the creation of a special women’s safety task force named “Singapen” and a dedicated anti-drug task force to combat narcotics across Tamil Nadu.
In another key move, Vijay resigned from the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency after winning from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East in the 2026 Assembly election, retaining only one seat as required under election law.
At the Secretariat, Vijay received a ceremonial Guard of Honour before holding his first high-level law-and-order review meeting with senior officials, including DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, and top Home Department officials.
The government later appointed P Senthilkumar as Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary-I to the chief minister, and G Laxmi Priya as Secretary-II to the chief minister.
After assuming office, Vijay visited the memorial of social reformer E. V. Ramasamy and paid tribute, reinforcing his emphasis on rationalism and social justice. He was welcomed by K Veeramani.
Nine ministers were sworn into Vijay’s first cabinet alongside him, including N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K A Sengottaiyan, K G Arunraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, T K Prabhu, and S Keerthana, the youngest MLA and only woman minister in the cabinet.
The cabinet blended experienced leaders and fresh faces. Sengottaiyan brought decades of political experience, having worked closely with former chief ministers M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, while younger leaders such as Keerthana symbolized TVK’s youth-driven political rise.
Reacting after taking the oath, Aadhav Arjuna said, “This is a people’s victory — a victory of Tamil Nadu women and youth. We will provide a transparent government that works for development, secularism, and social justice.”
Minister Arunraj called the day “a historic chapter in Tamil Nadu politics,” while Keerthana predicted the TVK government would remain in power “for 35 to 50 years.”
Celebrations erupted across Tamil Nadu as TVK workers burst firecrackers, danced in the streets, and distributed sweets in Chennai, Madurai, Thoothukudi, and several other districts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Vijay and assured cooperation between the central government and Tamil Nadu. Vijay thanked Modi on X and said he looked forward to “active support and cooperation” from the Union government.
Rahul Gandhi described the mandate as “a new generation, a new voice, and a new imagination.”
Siddaramaiah said Vijay had scripted “a remarkable democratic journey from cinema to public service,” while A. Revanth Reddy and Anura Kumara Dissanayake also extended their wishes.
Bhakta Charan Das praised Vijay’s image as a fighter for ordinary people.
Girish Chodankar confirmed Congress would be part of the government, though its ministers were not inducted in the first round because the party had not yet submitted its list.
The opposition reacted cautiously. Stalin congratulated Vijay but strongly rejected allegations regarding Tamil Nadu’s finances.
“Don’t start saying right away that the government has no money. It does have it. What’s needed is the will to give it to the people and the ability to govern,” Stalin wrote.
He insisted Tamil Nadu’s debt remained within permissible limits and accused Vijay of attempting to divert attention.
Another major development came from the DMK camp, as the party elected Udhayanidhi Stalin as leader of the DMK Legislature Party. Senior DMK leaders K. N. Nehru and E. V. Velu were appointed deputy leader and party whip, respectively.
Meanwhile, M Veerapandiyan criticized the swearing-in protocol after “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” was placed after “Vande Mataram” in the ceremony schedule, calling it a violation of Tamil Nadu convention and urging the new government to prioritize the state song in Assembly proceedings.
The 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has been summoned to meet May 11 at the Secretariat in Chennai, where newly elected MLAs will take the oath. The election for Speaker and Deputy Speaker is scheduled for May 12.
TVK MLA M V Karuppaiah was sworn in as Pro Tem Speaker by Governor Arlekar in Vijay’s presence.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election marked one of the most significant political shifts in the state’s history. TVK won 108 seats in its debut Assembly election and later crossed the majority mark with support from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, and IUML, ending the long-standing two-party dominance of the DMK and AIADMK and catapulting cinema’s “Thalapathy” to the state’s highest office. (ANI)
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