'An Inspiration to Family': Cousin Keerthana on Vijay as Tamil Nadu CM

She congratulated the actor-turned-politician after he officially assumed office as the 13th Chief Minister of the state, saying he has always been an inspiration to the family and would work for the welfare of Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to ANI, after Vijay took oath as Chief Minister, Keerthana said, "I congratulate him. He has been an inspiration to the family. He is going to do very well for Tamil Nadu. We are very excited to see what is going to happen here."

Earlier in the day, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay and nine ministers of his cabinet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

Vijay's parents, veteran filmmaker S A Chandrasekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar, were seated in the front row.

Chandrasekhar expressed his happiness, stating, "My dream, my wish... my son has fulfilled that dream. Today, he stands as a leader for the whole of Tamil Nadu. He will do what he says. It's not just a belief now. In any matter, he has always delivered on his promises. Not every father gets an opportunity like this. To see his son reach the absolute top as an actor and then leave it all behind to come into this. But the reason I got emotional was thinking about the struggles he faced along the way. Reflecting on all those hardships, and the moment he said, 'I, Joseph Vijay...', I got truly emotional. It's true."

The 51-year-old Vijay officially assumed charge at the Secretariat following TVK's historic victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. Upon his arrival at the Civil Secretariat, the newly sworn-in Chief Minister was welcomed with a grand reception by senior officers and employees. Vijay also received a ceremonial Guard of Honour before formally beginning his tenure.

In his first speech as Chief Minister, Vijay thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for their support and called for a "new era" of governance rooted in secularism and social justice. "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," he said amid loud cheers from supporters and party workers.

The TVK chief also emphasised his humble background and assured people that he would pursue honest governance. "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," Vijay stated.

Addressing young supporters and children who fondly call him "Vijay Mama," he promised to work for their future and welfare. He also thanked alliance partners Congress, CPI, CPI(M) and VCK for supporting TVK in crossing the majority mark in the Assembly. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was present at the ceremony along with senior leaders from alliance parties.

The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections marked a historic breakthrough for TVK, which won 108 seats in its electoral debut and ended the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK formations in the state. Popularly known as 'Thalapathy', Vijay's political rise has drawn comparisons with former Chief Minister and actor MG Ramachandran.

- ANI