C Joseph Vijay takes oath as Tamil Nadu's 13th CM, ends DMK-AIADMK era

C Joseph Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu's 13th CM, ending DMK-AIADMK rule. He promised transparency, attacked the previous govt's finances, and announced 200 units of free electricity and new safety task forces as his first orders.

Tamil Nadu witnessed one of the most dramatic political transitions in its modern history on Sunday as actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of the state, ending the decades-long political dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)and ushering in what he called "a new era of real, secular and social justice."

A Grand Swearing-in Ceremony

The swearing-in ceremony at the packed Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai unfolded with all the grandeur associated with "Thalapathy." Vijay arrived in a striking black suit with a white full-sleeved shirt and black trousers, a modern and cinematic departure from the traditional white shirt and veshti generally worn by Tamil Nadu politicians during oath-taking ceremonies. As thousands of supporters erupted in cheers, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay and his cabinet colleagues.

'I Am One of You': Vijay's First Speech

In his emotional first speech as Chief Minister, Vijay repeatedly highlighted his humble background and rejected any larger-than-life political image around him. "My dear people, my own family... I am not some divine messenger or prophet. I am just an ordinary human being living a normal life. I will never deceive you with false promises. I will only promise what is possible," he said to deafening applause.

"I do not come from a royal family. I am just like your son, your daughter, your elder brother or your younger brother. That is how I see myself. And it was because you saw me that way that you gave me such a great place in the cinema," he added emotionally.

Thanking young voters and children who passionately campaigned for him, Vijay made a special mention of his Gen Z supporters, saying, "A special word of thanks to the little friends who call me 'Vijay Mama.' It is because of them that all of this has happened. I will repay my debt of gratitude to you by working for your future. Stay confident -- this Vijay Mama will always be there for you." The line immediately became one of the biggest highlights of the ceremony online.

Vijay also recalled the humiliations and hardships he endured during his political rise. "Throughout this journey and this process, I faced countless hardships and humiliations. But despite all that, you too endured difficulties and insults for my sake. You treated my pain as your own and stood beside me throughout," he said. Calling his victory "a new beginning," the TVK founder declared, "Come, let all of us together give Tamil Nadu a fresh new government. This is the start of a new era of real, secular and social justice."

Focus on Governance and Finance

However, the speech soon shifted into governance mode as Vijay launched a direct attack on the previous DMK government led by former Chief Minister MK Stalin. Claiming that Tamil Nadu had been left financially strained, Vijay alleged that the previous administration had accumulated debt exceeding Rs 10 lakh crore.

"The last government has gone out after borrowing debts of more than Rs 10 lakh crore. The treasury had been completely emptied before they left office," Vijay said. "Only after going inside and seeing things firsthand can one understand what is there and what is not."

He announced that his government would release a "white paper" on Tamil Nadu's finances covering the 2021-2026 period. "I want my government to be transparent. Whatever I do, I will do openly and transparently. I will not meet people secretly or behind closed doors," he declared. Vijay also promised strict action against drug abuse, stronger law and order measures and enhanced women's safety. "From today onward, I will begin taking strong measures to control drug abuse. It is our duty to save our youngsters from it. I will ensure law and order and guarantee safety for everyone," he said.

Moments after taking the oath, Vijay delivered a signature "movie-star-meets-mass-leader" moment by taking a selfie with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and alliance leaders on stage before turning his camera toward the massive crowd and recording a 360-degree video of the historic occasion.

Star-Studded Guest List

Among the prominent attendees at the ceremony were Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, and VCK chief Thirumavalavan, CPI(M) leader P Shanmugam, Vijay's parents, SA Chandrasekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar, actress Trisha Krishnan and several leading names from the Tamil film industry.

First Day in Office: Key Decisions

Soon after taking charge at the Secretariat in Fort St George, Vijay signed his first set of government orders. The most significant among them granted 200 units of free electricity bimonthly to eligible domestic consumers -- doubling the earlier 100-unit subsidy. The scheme, expected to cost the government Rs 1,730 crore annually, applies to consumers using up to 500 units every two months.

He also approved the creation of a special women's safety task force named "Singapen" and a dedicated anti-drug task force to tackle narcotics across Tamil Nadu.

In another important move, Vijay resigned from the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency after winning from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East in the 2026 Assembly election, choosing to retain only one seat as required under election law.

Furthermore, at the Secretariat, Vijay received a ceremonial Guard of Honour before holding his first high-level law and order review meeting with senior officials, including DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore, Chief Secretary M Saikumar and top Home Department officials. The government later appointed P Senthilkumar as Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary-I to the Chief Minister, and G Laxmi Priya as Secretary-II to the CM. Soon after assuming office, Vijay visited the Thanthai Periyar EV Ramasamy Memorial and paid tribute to social reformer EV Ramasamy, reinforcing his emphasis on rationalism and social justice. He was welcomed there by Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani.

Vijay's Maiden Cabinet

Nine ministers were sworn into Vijay's maiden cabinet alongside him. They included N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, KG Arunraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, T K Prabhu and S Keerthana -- the youngest MLA and only woman minister in the cabinet.

The cabinet represented a blend of experienced leaders and fresh faces. Sengottaiyan brought decades of political experience, having worked closely with former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, while younger leaders such as Keerthana symbolised TVK's youth-driven political rise.

Reacting after taking the oath, Aadhav Arjuna said, "This is a people's victory -- a victory of Tamil Nadu women and youth. We will provide a transparent government that works for development, secularism and social justice."

Minister KG Arunraj called the day "a historic chapter in Tamil Nadu politics," while S Keerthana boldly predicted that the TVK government would remain in power "for 35 to 50 years."

Political Reactions Pour In

Celebrations erupted across Tamil Nadu as TVK workers burst crackers, danced in the streets and distributed sweets in Chennai, Madurai, Thoothukudi and several other districts. In Madurai, cadres celebrated near the Thiruvalluvar statue, while Congress and TVK workers jointly celebrated in Thoothukudi.

The political reactions poured in rapidly after Vijay's swearing-in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Vijay and assured cooperation between the Centre and Tamil Nadu. Vijay thanked Modi on X and said he looked forward to "active support and cooperation" from the Union Government.

Rahul Gandhi described the mandate as "a new generation, a new voice and a new imagination." Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Vijay had scripted "a remarkable democratic journey from cinema to public service," while Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also extended their wishes. Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das praised Vijay's image as a fighter for the common people.

Opposition and Alliance Partners React

Girish Chodankar, Congress in charge of Tamil Nadu, confirmed that Congress would be part of the government, though its ministers had not been inducted in the first round because the party had not yet submitted its list.

The Opposition, meanwhile, reacted cautiously. MK Stalin congratulated Vijay but pushed back strongly against the allegations regarding Tamil Nadu's finances. "Don't start saying right away that the government has no money. It does have it. What's needed is the will to give it to the people and the ability to govern," Stalin wrote. He insisted Tamil Nadu's debt remained within permissible limits and accused Vijay of trying to divert attention.

Another major development came from the DMK camp as the party elected Udhayanidhi Stalin as the Leader of the DMK Legislature Party. Senior DMK leaders KN Nehru and EV Velu were appointed Deputy Leader and party whip, respectively, at the legislature party meeting chaired by MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu CPI secretary M Veerapandiyan also criticised the swearing-in protocol after "Tamil Thai Vazhthu" was placed after "Vande Mataram" in the ceremony schedule, calling it a violation of the Tamil Nadu convention and urging the new government to ensure the state song receives priority in Assembly proceedings.

Legislative Proceedings and Election Context

Meanwhile, the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has been summoned to meet on May 11 at the Secretariat in Chennai, where newly elected MLAs will take the oath. The election for Speaker and Deputy Speaker is scheduled for May 12. TVK MLA MV Karuppaiah was sworn in as Pro Tem Speaker by Governor Arlekar in the presence of Vijay.

The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election marked one of the biggest political landmarks in the state's history. Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won 108 seats in its debut Assembly election and later crossed the majority mark with support from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML, ending the long-standing two-party dominance of the DMK and AIADMK and catapulting cinema's "Thalapathy" into the state's highest office.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)