Chennai, May 10: M.V. Karuppaiya, a legislator from the Tamilaga Vettree Kazhagam (TVK), has been appointed as the Pro Tem Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Sunday. The first session of the newly elected assembly is set to commence on Monday. Karuppaiya, a former leader of the AIADMK, joined Chief C. Joseph Vijay’s party earlier this year after being sidelined by his old party.
This appointment follows TVK President Vijay’s historic electoral victory, leading to his assumption of the Chief Minister’s role in Tamil Nadu. The TVK emerged as the largest party in the recent Tamil Nadu assembly elections, winning 108 out of 234 seats.
Subsequently, the party formed a government with support from Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI (M), and IUML, effectively ending the decades-long political dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in the state.
On Sunday morning, a grand ceremony was held at Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, where Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay. Alongside him, nine ministers also took their oaths as members of the new cabinet.
Immediately after taking office, Vijay signed three significant files, including the implementation of 200 units of free electricity for homes, the establishment of the ‘Singapore’ special task force, and the creation of a dedicated anti-drug unit. He later visited the secretariat to formally assume administrative responsibilities.
In this context, Karuppaiya, representing the Cholavandan constituency, has been designated as the Pro Tem Speaker. He will oversee the swearing-in of newly elected legislators and manage the initial proceedings of the assembly.
Karuppaiya hails from Vavidamaruthur village near Alanganallur in Madurai district. A seasoned politician, he has been associated with the AIADMK since 1980 and has held various organizational roles, including secretary of the fishermen’s association.
He first entered the assembly in 2011 as an AIADMK candidate from the Cholavandan constituency, winning by a margin of over 36,000 votes. However, he did not receive a party ticket in the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections.
Disheartened by his sidelining in the AIADMK, Karuppaiya joined TVK earlier this year after meeting senior leader K.A. Sengottaiyan. Vijay later fielded him in the 2026 assembly elections from the Cholavandan constituency, where he achieved victory once again.
His appointment as Pro Tem Speaker is viewed as a significant recognition of his long political journey and the recent changes within the TVK.
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