Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay will be sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu at a grand public ceremony by 10 am on Sunday, signalling a pivotal shift in the state's leadership and the conclusion of an intense post-election transition which went on for the past five days.
With Thol Thirumavalavan’s VCK and the IUML extending unconditional support to TVK to form the government, TVK chief Vijay called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan in Chennai on Saturday evening and formally staked claim to form the new government. Vijay submitted the formal letter of support from the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML to the governor.
The swearing-in ceremony for the council of ministers, to be led by Vijay, is scheduled to take place at 10 am on Sunday at the Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai. Along with Vijay, first-time MLAs and his close aides Aadhav Arjuna, C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, Bussy N. Anand, K.G. Arun Raj, Venkatramanan and Raj Mohan are set to take oath as ministers. Veteran leader K. A. Sengottaiyan will also be sworn in.
A statement from the Lok Bhavan confirmed that after a thorough review of these credentials, the governor formally invited Vijay to form the government. This meeting effectively concluded the interim period of political uncertainty, moving the state into an active executive phase backed by a clear administrative mandate.
The transition from legislative math to executive authority was made possible by an expansive display of support from across the political spectrum as the leaders of VCK, Congress, CPI, CPI(M) and IUML accompanied Vijay to Lok Bhavan. Incidentally, this was the fourth time Vijay called on the governor in four days as he did not have the majority to form the government. With the support of the alliance partners of the DMK, Vijay’s TVK has got over a dozen MLAs to support him.
The stability of the TVK administration, however, is anchored by a broad-based coalition, a strategic necessity in Tamil Nadu’s evolving political landscape. By securing a wide array of support, Vijay has ensured that his government possesses the legislative depth required for long-term governance.
The governor has also directed the newly appointed Chief Minister to prove his majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly by seeking a confidence vote on or before May 13 - an exceptionally tight three-day window following the inauguration. This abbreviated time frame underscores the governor’s demand for immediate political stability and ensures that the new government’s mandate is validated by the legislature without delay.