Heralding a new era in Tamil Nadu politics, actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay took oath as chief minister on Sunday at a grand ceremony held at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar administered the oath of office to Vijay and nine other MLAs from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at the event, which was attended by Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The new cabinet, seen as a blend of experience and youth, includes one woman minister, S. Keerthana.
The other leaders sworn in as ministers alongside Vijay were N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K. A. Sengottaiyan, K. G. Arunraaj, P. Venkataramanan, C. T. R. Nirmal Kumar, A. Rajmohan, and K. T. Prabhu.
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Sengottaiyan, a former AIADMK veteran, worked closely with former chief ministers J. Jayalalithaa and M. G. Ramachandran. In the 2026 Assembly elections, he secured the Gobichettipalayam seat for a record tenth time, reinforcing his status as a dominant political force in the region despite his high-profile exit from the AIADMK in late 2025.
Aadhav Arjuna, a key TVK strategist who played a crucial role in the party’s organisational planning, won from the Villivakkam constituency in Chennai. Keerthana, who was elected from Virudhunagar district, is also the youngest member of the cabinet.
Earlier, the Governor approved Vijay’s recommendation for the appointment of nine ministers, according to a release from the Lok Bhavan.
“C. Joseph Vijay, Chief Minister-designate, has recommended a list of nine persons to be appointed as ministers on May 9. The Governor has approved the recommendation regarding the appointment of the ministers,” the release said.
Vijay is expected to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly through a vote of confidence on or before May 13.
The uncertainty over government formation ended on Saturday evening after four MLAs from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended unconditional support to TVK.
The Congress, which has five MLAs, along with the CPI and the CPI-M, with two MLAs each, had already declared support for Vijay. |
