Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay took the oath of office as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, May 10, 2026, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. The ceremony, held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, formally ended the nearly seven-decade-long dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) parties.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay, the founder-chief of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Alongside Vijay, nine other TVK legislators were sworn in as ministers: 'Bussy' N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K A Sengottaiyan, K G Arunraaj, P Venkataramanan, C T R Nirmal Kumar, A Rajmohan, Keerthana, and K T Prabhu.
TVK Secures Majority with Alliance Support
The 51-year-old actor-politician's ascent to the chief ministerial post followed days of intense political negotiations. While TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections with 108 seats, it fell short of the 118-seat majority needed in the 234-member Assembly. The breakthrough arrived when the Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended their crucial support, pushing the alliance's total to 120 seats.
Notably, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, whose Congress party had previously allied with the DMK, attended Vijay's swearing-in ceremony, signaling a new political alignment. The VCK and IUML, while supporting the TVK government, maintained that they would continue to be part of the DMK-led alliance, offering "outside support" to Vijay's administration.
Complex Political Maneuvering Preceded Oath
The formation of the government was not without its complexities, characterized by hectic lobbying, allegations of horse-trading, and the return of "resort politics" in Tamil Nadu. During negotiations, Congress MLAs supporting TVK were reportedly shifted to Hyderabad, while TVK legislators stayed at a resort in Mamallapuram near Chennai. AIADMK MLAs also briefly moved to Puducherry before returning to Chennai. AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami extended greetings to the incoming government.
Governor Arlekar formally invited Vijay to form the government after receiving letters of support from the allied parties. Vijay has been asked to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly on or before May 13. Having won from both Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East, Vijay will need to vacate one seat, which will reduce TVK's individual strength to 107, though the alliance's majority remains secure.
The swearing-in ceremony was met with widespread celebration, as TVK workers gathered outside party offices and the stadium, bursting firecrackers and distributing sweets, marking a truly historic moment for Tamil Nadu politics.