TVK Chief Thalapathy Vijay Sworn In as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Heads Coalition Government
Governor Seeks Floor Test by May 13; Nine Ministers Inducted Into New Cabinet
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in Chennai on Sunday.
Chennai: After four days of intense political suspense and coalition negotiations, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, marking a dramatic political transition in the state and the first-ever electoral victory for his newly formed party.
Vijay took oath as Chief Minister after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest force in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections by winning 108 seats.
Although short of the halfway mark in the 234-member Assembly, TVK secured the support of the Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and the Indian Union Muslim League to comfortably cross the majority mark of 118 seats.
On Saturday, Vijay along with alliance leaders met CP Radhakrishnan at Lok Bhavan and submitted letters of support from 120 MLAs staking claim to form the government.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar subsequently invited Vijay to form the government and directed him to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly by May 13.
The swearing-in ceremony, held amid heavy security and massive public enthusiasm in Chennai, marked a historic moment in Tamil Nadu politics as Vijay formally transitioned from cinema superstardom to executive leadership of the state.
Soon after taking oath, Chief Minister Vijay recommended a list of nine ministers for inclusion in the Council of Ministers. The appointments were approved by the Governor ahead of the government formation process.
According to the official communication issued from Lok Bhavan, the following leaders were inducted into the Tamil Nadu cabinet:
- N. Anand
- Aadhav Arjuna
- Dr KG Arunraj
- KA Sengottaiyan
- P. Venkataramanan
- R. Nirmalkumar
- Rajmohan
- Dr TK Prabhu
- S. Keerthana
The new cabinet reflects a mix of political experience, professional backgrounds, youth representation, and social balancing as TVK attempts to establish itself as a governance-oriented alternative in Tamil Nadu politics.
Political observers view Vijay’s rise as one of the most significant shifts in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape in decades, breaking the long-standing dominance of the two traditional Dravidian formations.
TVK’s electoral campaign had focused heavily on youth mobilisation, anti-corruption messaging, governance reforms, employment generation, education, and welfare-oriented development.
The coming days are expected to witness key portfolio allocations, coalition coordination meetings, and preparations for the crucial floor test in the Assembly.
The formation of the Vijay-led coalition government is also being closely watched nationally for its potential impact on opposition politics and regional political realignments ahead of future national elections.
