TVK's Thalapathy Vijay Takes Oath As Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ends Decades-Long DMK-AIADMK Dominance

Tamil Nadu: Finally, after six parties, five days, and four meetings, actor-turned-politician Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay took oath as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister on Sunday, beginning a historic political change in the state and officially ending the DMK and AIADMK's decades-long domination in Tamil Nadu politics.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai in the presence of senior leaders and supporters. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath to Vijay, who became Chief Minister for the first time after an intense five-day political battle to secure majority support in the Assembly. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi attended the function.

From Film Superstar To Chief Minister 

Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), founded by C. Joseph Vijay in February 2024, made a remarkable entry into Tamil Nadu politics in the 2026 Assembly elections, changing the state's long-standing political landscape in just two years of its launch.

In its very first Assembly election, TVK delivered a blockbuster performance by winning 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, establishing itself as the single-largest party in the state. The overwhelming victory by TVK delivered an important setback to both the DMK and the AIADMK, which had dominated Tamil Nadu politics for decades.

Despite the huge mandate, TVK fell short of achieving majority status. Vijay had contested from Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East and won both seats, but since he can stand for only one constituency, the party’s effective strength in the Assembly came down to 107 MLAs.

This left Vijay relying on the support of smaller parties and allies to gain a majority and stake his claim to form the government.

Here are the number of seats contributed by each parties:

• Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) - 107 seats
• Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) - 2 seats
• Communist Party of India (CPI) - 2 seats
• Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI (M) - 2 seats
• Congress - 5 seats
• Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) - 2 seats

6 Parties, 5 Days, and 4 Meetings: The Struggle For Majority

The road to power turned into one of the most dramatic government creation battles Tamil Nadu has witnessed in recent years. Vijay met with Governor Arlekar four times in the last week in Chennai's Lok Bhavan. During the first three sessions, the Governor declined to call him to form the government, claiming that TVK lacked sufficient written support from MLAs.

The breakthrough came after Congress, which won five seats, decided to support TVK after breaking off its partnership with the DMK. Soon after, the CPI and CPI(M) also backed Vijay, bringing the coalition total to 116 seats, still short of a majority.

The final phase of discussions saw intense political drama between the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). While initial reports indicated that both parties would support TVK, confusion arose when statements rejecting any formal backing surfaced publicly.

A support message for VCK momentarily appeared on social media before being erased, adding to the mystery surrounding Vijay's stats.

Meanwhile, AMMK leader T. T. V. Dhinakaran accused TVK of spreading a forged endorsement letter from his party, and he supported AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami instead. Finally, on Saturday evening, both VCK and IUML sent official letters of support to TVK, bringing Vijay's total to 120 MLAs, two more than the majority threshold.

Governor’s Nod After Fourth Meeting

After getting the required numbers, Vijay met with Governor Arlekar again on Saturday evening, along with alliance party leaders. The meeting came following rumors that the Governor might further prolong the process, especially because the Assembly's term ends on May 10 and fears have grown over the potential of President's Rule if no administration is established in time.

Governor Arlekar ultimately accepted the letters of support and formally invited Vijay to form the government as per Article 164 of the Constitution. In the official correspondence, the Governor nominated Vijay as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister and instructed him to prove his majority on the House floor by May 13.

Who Will Be In Vijay's Cabinet?

Here is the list of leaders and the departments they will handle in the new Cabinet formed under the leadership of Vijay:

1. Vijay (TVK) - Public Administration, Police and Home Affairs 
2. K. A. Sengottaiyan (TVK) - Public Works Department
3. Aadhav Arjuna (TVK) - Sports and Prohibition Department
4. Arun Raj (TVK) - Deed Registration and Commercial Tax Department
5. Nirmal Kumar (TVK) - Electricity Department
6. N Anand (TVK) - Municipal Administration Department
7. Raj Mohan (TVK) - Adi Dravidar Welfare Department
8. P. Venkataramanan (TVK) - School Education Department
9. V.N.S. Mustafa (TVK) - Minority Welfare Department 

And with C. Joseph Vijay now sworn in as Chief Minister, South Indian politics adds another film superstar to its long list of cinema icons who successfully transitioned from the silver screen to the seat of power.