Desk Report; Chennai, India – Marking a historic shift in South Indian politics, popular actor-turned-politician Chandrasekhar Joseph Vijay, widely known as Thalapathy Vijay, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at 10:00 AM local time at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new Chief Minister.
The New Cabinet
Alongside Vijay, several key ministers took their oaths to form the new state government. The cabinet includes:
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N. Anand
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Adhav Arjun
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Rajmohan
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R. Nirmal Kumar
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P. Venkataramanan
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K.G. Arunraj
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K.A. Sengottaiyan
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T.K. Prabhu
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Selvi S. Keerthana
High-Profile Guests
The ceremony was attended by several political heavyweights and celebrities. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress politician, was present to witness the historic moment.
Vijay’s parents, popular actress Trisha Krishnan, and top state leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were also among the invited guests.
A Historic Coalition
For the first time in Tamil Nadu’s political history, a coalition government has been formed. The path to power was filled with intense drama over the last few days.
On Saturday, Vijay met with Governor Arlekar at Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan) alongside top party leaders to stake his claim. Following the meeting, the Governor officially invited him to form the government.
The Numbers Game
The results of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, announced last Monday, saw Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerge as the single largest party with 108 seats. The 51-year-old superstar personally secured victories in two constituencies.
In the 234-seat assembly, the magic number for a majority is 118. Until Friday, TVK’s support was stuck at 116 seats, leading to a temporary deadlock. However, the tide turned when the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) officially extended their support on Saturday.
With the addition of four seats (two from each party), the coalition reached a solid majority of 120 seats. Furthermore, letters of support from the Indian National Congress, CPI, and CPI(M) were also submitted to the Governor, solidifying the new administration’s stability.