Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony: Tamil Nadu ushered in a new political era on May 10 (Sunday), as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader C Joseph Vijay, the 51-year-old actor-turned-politician known as “Thalapathy,” took oath as the state’s 13th Chief Minister at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath to Vijay and nine cabinet ministers-
- N Anand
- Aadhav Arjuna
- KA Sengottaiyan
- KG Arunraj
- P Venkataramanan
- R Nirmalkumar
- Rajmohan
- TK Prabhu
- S Keerthana
Humble roots and people’s embrace
In his debut speech as CM, Vijay emphasised his ordinary origins, declaring, “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.”
Chennai: Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief C Joseph Vijay says, "I don’t know how to begin or what to say at this emotional moment. I did not come from a prince’s family. I came from among you like a member of your family, like your brother.… pic.twitter.com/fbCW5OqgjE
— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2026
Rejecting any royal pedigree, he connected deeply with the crowd, “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 cinema.” He credited his political entry as repayment for public love, saying they embraced him with, “We are here for you, Vijay. We will take care of everything.”
“Vijay Mama” assurance to Gen Z and vision for new era
Vijay issued a heartfelt shoutout to Gen Z supporters who call him “Vijay Mama,” stating, “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.”
He rallied for collective action, “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,” promising to fulfill pre-election pledges amid roaring cheers.
TVK crossed the majority with support from Congress (5 seats), CPI(M) (2), CPI (2), VCK (2), and IUML (2)- former DMK allies. Vijay, who won from Perambur and Trichy East (resigning one), drew parallels to MGR and Vijayakanth, blending his Christian identity with secular politics rooted in social work since 2009 and films tackling drugs and corruption.
Flanked by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and allies like VCK, CPI and CPI(M), Vijay signed his first official documents on stage, marking TVK’s historic debut government after winning 108 of 234 seats- ousting both Dravidian giants DMK and AIADMK for the first time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on X, “Congratulations to Thiru C. Joseph Vijay on taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Best wishes for his tenure ahead. The Central Government will keep working with the Tamil Nadu Government to improve the lives of people.” Vijay also thanked Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and K.C. Venugopal.
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