Chennai, May 10: C. Joseph Vijay, leader of the TVK party, took the oath of office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath. With Vijay’s swearing-in, the dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) that lasted nearly six decades has come to an end.
The grand ceremony took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, where several ministers, including N. Anand, Adhav Arjun, K.G. Arun Raj, K.A. Sengottaiyan, P. Venkataramanan, R. Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr. T.K. Prabhu, and Selvi S. Keertana, also took their oaths.
The event saw the presence of numerous national and regional leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, as well as film personalities, party workers, and thousands of supporters. The ceremony was conducted under heavy security.
In the front row, seats were reserved for Vijay’s parents, renowned filmmaker S.A. Chandrasekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar. Actress Trisha Krishnan and her mother were also given seats in the same row.
After securing support from 120 legislators in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, Vijay met with the governor to present his claim. The TVK emerged as the largest party in the recent assembly elections but fell short of a majority. The Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), and Communist Party of India-Marxist extended their support to form the government.
Following this support, Vijay met with Governor Arlekar on Saturday night at the Lok Bhavan in Chennai and submitted letters of support from all five allied parties. The new Chief Minister has been directed to secure a vote of confidence in the assembly by May 13 or earlier.
Vijay’s swearing-in marks a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s politics, as it is the first time since 1967 that a non-Dravidian party has come to power in the state.
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