Tamil Nadu began a new political chapter on Sunday morning as C Joseph Vijay, president of the Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of the state.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlikar administered the oath of office to Vijay along with nine ministers from his cabinet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. The ceremony was marked by loud cheers from supporters as the actor-turned-politician rose to address the gathering for the first time as Prime Minister.
In his maiden speech, Vijay spoke in an emotional tone and called on the people to join him in forming a new government. path Tamil Nadu CM Section Ceremony Live.
“I am not a divine messenger”
“Let us all give Tamil Nadu a new new government. This is a new beginning, the beginning of a new era of secular social justice,” he said, amid loud applause from those present.
Vijay, who has positioned himself as an established leader, said he does not see himself as larger than life despite his cinematic popularity.
He said: “My dear people, my family, I am not a divine messenger or a prophet. I am just an ordinary human being living a normal life. I will never deceive you with false promises. I will only promise you what is possible.”
He added that his political journey was rooted in gratitude and responsibility towards the people who supported him in cinema and now in politics.
Debt burden, white paper promise
One of the major policy announcements in his maiden speech concerned the state’s finances. Criticizing the former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Vijay said his government is assuming office under a heavy financial burden.
“I shouldered this responsibility with an unbearable burden $10 million crore debts. “We will be releasing a White Paper for Transparent Government, to inform the public about the current situation in Tamil Nadu.”
He said transparency would be pivotal to his administration and that the promised white paper would clearly explain the state’s financial situation to citizens.
The ‘Vijay Mama’ and Gen Z connection
Vijay also acknowledged the affection he receives from younger supporters, especially Generation Z voters. A special word of thanks to the younger friends who call me ‘Vijay Mama’, he said. Because of them all this happened.
“I will repay your debt of gratitude by working for your future. Be confident that Vijay Mama will always be there for you,” he added, indicating continued outreach to young voters.
Thank you to Congress and local parties
The new Prime Minister was flanked by senior leaders including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and representatives of alliance partners CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML, who supported TVK to help it cross the majority mark.
Vijay also thanked the Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary KC Venugopal, for their support.
Besides the Prime Minister, nine TVK leaders were sworn in as ministers in the new government. The list includes N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, KG Arunraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, TK Prabhu and S Keerthana.
Historic electoral mandate
The 2026 Tamil Nadu elections delivered an unprecedented result for TVK. In its first competition, the party won 108 seats out of 234, making it the largest single force in the assembly.
However, it did not reach a simple majority and later received outside support from Congress (5), CPI(M) (2), CPI(2), VCK (2) and IUML (2), many of whom were earlier part of the DMK-led alliance.
The result marked a major shift in Tamil Nadu politics, with both traditional Dravidian parties voted out of power for the first time in the state’s history.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
