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Updated May 19, 2026 · 16:46
Tamil Nadu News Updated May 19, 2026

TVK Functionary Walks on Knees in Church After Vijay's Win

TVK functionary Gerald Milton fulfilled a prayer vow at the Velankanni Basilica by walking on his knees after Vijay's assembly election victory. Vijay won both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies and was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. TVK secured 108 out of 234 seats in its debut election, ousting the Dravidian parties from power. CM Vijay chaired a review meeting on power infrastructure and ordered the modernisation of Amma Canteens across the state.

TVK functionary fulfils vow at church by walking on Knees after Vijay's assembly election victory

Nagapattinam, May 19

After Vijay won the Tiruchirappalli East constituency and assumed office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, TVK functionary Gerald Milton fulfilled his prayer vow at the Velankanni Basilica on Tuesday.

Milton, who had actively campaigned for Vijay's victory in the Assembly elections, walked on his knees inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health as an offering of gratitude and later prayed for the party's success in the upcoming Tiruchirappalli East by-election. Milton had also served as the election in-charge for the Tiruchirappalli East constituency and actively campaigned for Vijay's victory.

Vijay had won both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies. Later, the TVK Chief resigned from the Trichy East seat, choosing to retain the Perambur constituency.

He took the oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu following his majestic success in the debut elections. The oath was administered by Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.

The 2026 Tamil Nadu elections were registered in history books after the state declared an unprecedented mandate for Vijay. While TVK ended up winning 108 out of 234 seats in its maiden political stint, it was for the first time in the history of state politics that both legacy 'Dravidian' parties were ousted from power.

However, Vijay couldn't attain a majority on its own and was later offered support by Congress (5), CPI-M (2), CPI (2), VCK (2) and IUML (2), which were earlier the allies of the Secular Progressive Alliance led by DMK.

CM Vijay on Sunday chaired a high-level review meeting of the Energy Department to assess the state's power infrastructure and financial health, while also issuing major directives for the renovation and modernisation of 'Amma Canteens' across the state.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister conducted a detailed assessment regarding the power generation capacity, current electricity demand, and distribution networks.

Discussions also focused on the financial status of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and its subsidiary companies, alongside the progress of ongoing future infrastructure development projects.

In a significant move to bolster social welfare, CM Vijay ordered a comprehensive overhaul of the 'Amma Canteens.'At present, 383 Amma Canteens are functioning under the Greater Chennai Corporation, while another 237 are being operated through other municipal corporations and municipalities across the state.

The decision for modernisation follows reports regarding the quality and taste of the food served at these facilities, which were recently brought to the attention of the Chief Minister.

— ANI

Reader Comments

Michael D

Interesting to see such devotion in Indian politics. In the US, we'd just celebrate with a rally! 😄 But hey, whatever works for your culture and faith. Hope Vijay's government delivers on those Amma Canteen promises—quality food is a basic need.

Ravi K

While I respect personal devotion, this seems a bit extreme for a political victory. Walking on knees? That's serious penance, not gratitude. Hope TVK focuses more on real issues like power infrastructure and canteen quality rather than these symbolic spectacles.

Neha E

Love how this shows the cultural diversity of India! From church vows to modernizing Amma Canteens—Vijay's team seems to understand both tradition and progress. But 108 seats out of 234 isn't a landslide, it's a coalition. Let's see if they can govern effectively.

Aditya G

The Velankanni connection is heartwarming. Tamil Nadu's syncretic culture is beautiful—Hindus visit Velankanni, Christians visit Sabarimala. But I'm more interested in those Amma Canteen upgrades. If Vijay can fix the quality issues, that'll be a real win for the people! 👍

Siddharth J

Walking on knees is no joke—that takes real dedication. But I wonder if the energy review meeting got overshadowed by this news. TNEB's financial health is critical for our state's future. Hope Vijay prioritizes governance over photo ops.

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