Amid thunderous chants, waving TVKflags and scenes of celebration across Chennai, C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday. In his first statement as the CM, Vijay declared that “a new era of real, secular and social justice begins now”. Vijay’s rise to the state’s top post marks one of the most dramatic political upheavals in Tamil Nadu’s recent history.
The first directives: Power, safety and narcotics
In his first hour at the Secretariat, the new Chief Minister moved to fulfill core campaign commitments by signing three pivotal policy files. These initial administrative acts focused on immediate welfare and security:
Free Electricity: Approval for 200 units of free electricity for all domestic consumers.
Women’s Safety: The establishment of a specialized force for women’s security, integrated with a dedicated emergency helpline.
Narcotics Control: The creation of a comprehensive statewide anti-drug mechanism to curb substance abuse.
Vijay’s recent signatures built on TVK’s larger electoral promises on the issue of women’s safety and drug control. Both issues resonate strongly with urban middle-class families, young voters and parents. The anti-drug campaign especially has been one of TVK’s strongest political messages over the last year, framed almost as a moral fight for Tamil Nadu’s future.
ALSO READUAE stopover to bolster PM Modi’s high-stakes Europe tour amid West Asia turmoil | What’s on the agenda from May 15?
‘One power centre’ targets DMK
While the ceremony was high on spectacle, Vijay’s administrative tone was one of caution and fiscal critique. Vijay began his tenure as state CM by expressing his gratitude to the people who have put him in power and talking about his plans to work on the present “bad shape” of the state, targeting the previous DMK regime on economic management.
Vijay alleged that the outgoing government has left Tamil Nadu burdened with a debt of Rs 10 lakh crore and announced that his administration would prioritize the release of a white paper on the state’s finances.
Addressing a massive gathering after his oath, Vijay issued a stern directive to his supporters and party cadres regarding the nature of his governance. “There will be only one power centre, that is me,” he stated, explicitly warning against any attempts by party workers to go on a “rampage” now that they have secured power.
“Nobody should even think that now that we have come to power, we can go on a rampage,” Vijay said. “Do not even keep such ideas in mind. Clear it off. There will be only one power centre, that is me,” Vijay’s message thundered across the venue of the swearing in ceremony.
ALSO READHimanta Biswa Sarma set for second innings as Assam CM, oath on May 12
Towards the end of his swearing in ceremony, Vijay also expressed his utmost gratitude to the virtual warriors, a reference to the online volunteers and supporters who helped build the TVK’s digital campaign machinery.
Overall the developments around Vijay’s swearing in ceremony that played out with the lively rhythm of a political rally marked an unusual first day for any CM of Tamil Nadu. A scene that was described in an Indian Express report as part political transition, part mass spectacle, part emotional culmination of a decades-long film relationship between a star and his audience.
After conveying his gratitude to his supporters, Vijay also acknowledged his allies who were present during the ceremony by name including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, M A Baby, D Raja, Thol Thirumavalavan and others signalling the coalition nature of his government.
A message from ‘Vijay Mama’
In a move that resonated across social media platforms, Vijay bypassed formal press statements to deliver a direct video message to the state’s young voters. Adopting the affectionate nickname ‘Vijay Mama’ (Uncle Vijay), he addressed the large number of young voters who were instrumental in his victory.
“I am not here to give you grand speeches or empty slogans. I am here to work for you. But change of this magnitude doesn’t happen overnight. I urge my ‘thambis’ and ‘thangachis’ (brothers and sisters) to give me a reasonable time to deliver on my promises. We are cleaning up decades of mismanagement,” Vijay told voters in his first video message as CM.
</p> |
