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Vijay Sworn In as Tamil Nadu CM, Ends Six Decades of Dravidian Rule

Actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Sunday, ending nearly six decades of Dravidian party rule in the state. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. The TVK-led alliance secured support from 120 MLAs, crossing the majority mark of 118, with backing from Congress, CPI, CPI-M, VCK, and IUML. The swearing-in marks a historic political shift as a non-Dravidian party takes power in Tamil Nadu for the first time since 1967.

Key Points: Vijay Sworn In as Tamil Nadu CM, Ends Dravidian Era

  • Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM
  • Ends six-decade Dravidian parties dominance
  • TVK-led alliance secures 120 MLAs support
  • Five allies back Vijay's government formation
3 min read

Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, ends six-decade Dravidian parties dominance

Actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM, ending 60 years of DMK-AIADMK dominance. TVK-led alliance secures 120 MLAs.

"The swearing-in of Vijay marks a watershed moment in Tamil Nadu politics, as a non-Dravidian party has come to power in the state for the first time since 1967. - Political observers"

Chennai, May 10

Actor-cum-Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam President C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, marking a historic political shift in the state, which saw an end to nearly six decades of alternating rule by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay at a grand ceremony held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here.

Nine ministers were also sworn in alongside him as part of the new council of ministers.

The event was attended by several national and regional political leaders, including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, film personalities, party workers, and thousands of supporters, prompting authorities to enforce massive security arrangements in and around the venue.

Chennai city police deployed heavy security, intensified vehicle checks and imposed strict access control measures around the stadium ahead of the ceremony.

Special seating arrangements were made for prominent guests attending the swearing-in function.

In the front row, seats were reserved for Vijay's parents, veteran filmmaker S.A. Chandrasekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar. Actor Trisha Krishnan and her mother were also allotted seats in the same row, drawing considerable attention from the media and fans gathered at the venue.

Vijay assumes office after the TVK-led alliance secured the support of 120 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 118 required to form the government.

While the TVK emerged as the single largest party in the recently concluded Assembly elections, it fell short of an outright majority, triggering intense political negotiations over the last few days.

The uncertainty finally ended on Saturday evening after the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended their support to the Vijay-led formation.

Earlier, the Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India-Marxist had also backed the TVK, enabling the actor-turned-politician to stake claim to form the government.

Following the securing of support, Vijay met Governor Arlekar at Lok Bhavan in Chennai on Saturday night and submitted letters of support from all five allies - the Congress, the CPI, the CPI-M, the VCK, and the IUML. The Governor subsequently appointed Vijay as Chief Minister-designate and invited him to form the ministry. He has also directed the new Chief Minister to seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on or before May 13.

The swearing-in of Vijay marks a watershed moment in Tamil Nadu politics, as a non-Dravidian party has come to power in the state for the first time since 1967. Political observers view the development as a major realignment in the state's political landscape, long dominated by the DMK and AIADMK.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
As a Tamilian, I'm cautiously optimistic. We've seen actors become CM before - MGR and Jayalalithaa were successful, but they had decades of political experience. Vijay is new to governance. His focus on infrastructure and digital governance in the campaign sounded promising, but the real test is delivering. 🤔
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Vikram M
What an event! The energy in Chennai was electric yesterday. My friends were there near the stadium. It's not just about ending Dravidian dominance - it's about a new generation wanting change. Vijay's "Vetri" brand has caught the imagination of youth. But ya, 120 is a thin majority, let's see how long the allies stay happy. 😅
S
Siddharth J
Honestly, I'm wary. Actor to CM is a huge leap. We need someone with administrative experience, not just star power. And the alliances with Congress and Left parties feel like a patchwork. But I respect the democratic process - people have spoken. My hope is Vijay proves me wrong and focuses on water issues, infrastructure, and employment. Time will tell. 🕊️
A
Ananya R
The ceremonial grandeur was unmatched! Did anyone see Trisha's mother in the front row? Such a classy gesture. But on a serious note, I think this is a golden chance for TN to move beyond the "two-family" politics that dominated since the 60s. Vijay's team seems young and dynamic, but they need to prove they can govern for ALL Tamils, not just fans. 🙏
K
Karthik V
Interesting times

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