Vijay Sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM, TVK Forms Government in Historic Shift

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, a prominent South Indian actor, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday. The oath of office was administered by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at a ceremony held at Chennai’s Nehru Stadium. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other political leaders attended the event. Nine other TVK leaders also took oath as ministers on the same day.

With the TVK forming the government, Tamil Nadu has, for the first time in nearly six decades, moved away from the alternating rule of its two dominant Dravidian parties — the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Vijay’s party secured 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, falling short of the majority mark of 118. The effective strength of the TVK stands at 107, as Vijay is required to vacate one of the two seats he won.

The MK Stalin-led DMK won 59 seats in the elections. The National Democratic Alliance, primarily comprising the AIADMK and the Bharatiya Janata Party, secured 53 seats. A day earlier, the actor-turned-politician met Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form the government. He submitted letters of support from the Congress, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. With this, Vijay has the backing of 121 MLAs.

The development came five days after the TVK, making its electoral debut, emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The governor has directed the TVK chief to seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly by May 13.