CJoseph Vijay, chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), on Sunday took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after a historic debut election victory. The oath was administered by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. The ceremony was attended by several prominent figures, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Vijay’s parents, and actor Trisha Krishnan.

Along with Vijay, nine other TVK leaders, N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, KG Arunraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, TK Prabhu and S Keerthana, were sworn in as ministers in his first cabinet. Ahead of the ceremony, Vijay welcomed the Governor and introduced him to the ministers-designate.

How did Vijay win the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections?

The 2026 Assembly elections marked a major political shift in Tamil Nadu. TVK, launched in 2024, won 108 out of 234 seats, ending the dominance of traditional Dravidian parties. However, the party fell short of a majority and later received support from Congress, CPI-M, CPI, VCK and IUML, enabling Vijay to form the government.

Why is Vijay’s rise being compared to past leaders?

Known as “Thalapathy”, Vijay’s strong public appeal during rallies drew comparisons with former Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran. Tamil Nadu has a history of film stars entering politics, including Vijayakanth, and Vijay’s rise continues that trend.

What is Vijay’s political background?

Although TVK was founded in 2024, Vijay had been active in social work for years. His films often addressed issues like corruption and drug abuse, and speculation about his political entry dates back to 2009. In the 2026 elections, he won from both Perambur and Trichy East constituencies and is expected to resign from one seat.