Congress's Bhakta Das hails 'reel to real' CM Vijay in Tamil Nadu

Actor-turned-politician Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu's new CM. Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das congratulated him, likening his on-screen roles to his political promise. Vijay thanked PM Modi and promised a new era of governance.

Odisha Congress Chief Hails Vijay's Victory

Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das on Sunday congratulated actor-turned-politician Vijay, drawing parallels between his on-screen roles and his political promise after he was elected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Speaking with ANI, Das expressed high expectations for Vijay's new chapter. He noted that the themes of social justice and advocacy for the marginalised, staples of Vijay's filmography, are exactly what the electorate is looking for in a leader. Das said, "... As Vijay's character reflects in the films, fighting for the common man. He will surely bring reforms that have never happened before. I congratulate him, as the people of Tamil Nadu have chosen him to serve. This is a great achievement for him."

Vijay Thanks PM Modi, Assumes Office

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message and said he looks forward to active support from the Centre for the State's development. Actor-turned-politician officially took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at a grand ceremony held in Chennai today. The event marked a significant turning point in the State's political landscape. Soon after the swearing-in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes to the newly appointed Chief Minister. In a post on X, the Tamil Nadu CM responded to PM Modi's wishes. "I extend my sincere gratitude to the Hon'ble Prime Minister Thiru @narendramodi Avl for his kind wishes on my assumption of office as the Chief Minister. Our sole objective is the welfare and progress of our people. We look forward to the active support and cooperation of the Union Government for the continued growth of Tamil Nadu," Vijay said.

A Historic Win and a New Beginning

Earlier today, TVK chief, actor-turned politician Vijay officially assumed charge at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat at Fort George in Chennai, shortly after taking oath as the 13th Chief Minister of the state after securing a historic electoral victory for his party. In a major political transition, Governor Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay and nine ministers of his cabinet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.

After assuming office, he offered tribute to social reformer E V Ramasamy (Periyar) at the Thanthai Periyar EV Ramaswamy Memorial at Periyar Thidal in Chennai. He also met with Dravidar Kazhagam President K Veeramani.

The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections marked a historic shift in state politics as TVK won 108 seats in its debut election, ending the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK formations. Popularly known as 'Thalapathy', Vijay's rise has drawn comparisons with former Chief Minister and actor MG Ramachandran.

An official release from the State Assembly Secretariat said that before he assumed office as chief minister, Vijay tendered his resignation from Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency and sent the letter to Assembly Principal Secretary K Srinivasan. He has retained Perambur, the State Assembly Secretariat said.

Meanwhile, in his first speech as Chief Minister, Vijay thanked the people of the State for placing their trust in him and called for a "new era" of governance based on secularism and social justice. "Come, let all of us together give Tamil Nadu a fresh new government. This is a new beginning, the start of a new era of secular, social justice," he said amid loud cheers from supporters and party workers.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended the ceremony along with leaders of Congress, CPI, CPI(M) and VCK, parties that extended support to TVK to help it cross the majority mark in the Assembly. Vijay also thanked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary KC Venugopal for their support. (ANI)

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