Vijay Sworn In as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister After TVK Secures Majority Support

Actor-turned-politician Vijay was sworn in on Sunday as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured the support of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), taking its backing in the state assembly to 120 legislators — two above the majority threshold of 118.

According to a report by The Times of India, TVK also achieved official recognition as a political party after crossing five million votes in its first Tamil Nadu Assembly election, marking an unprecedented debut for a first-time electoral contestant.

Vijay, who founded the party, led the campaign personally and maintained strong leads in both the Perambur and Trichy East constituencies during the election.

The outcome has been widely viewed as a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, signalling growing voter support for an alternative to the long-dominant Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) political blocs.

Political observers have drawn comparisons between Vijay and the late M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), the celebrated actor who successfully transitioned from cinema into Tamil Nadu politics.

Unlike MGR, whose on-screen image was closely tied to personal discipline and moral virtue, Vijay built a film career portraying a wider range of complex characters, including an alcoholic professor, a gangster and morally conflicted figures.

During the campaign, Vijay adopted an unconventional political strategy, largely avoiding media interviews and holding fewer public appearances than incumbent Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

On the final day of campaigning, he publicly blew a whistle — the symbol of his party — and appealed directly to voters, saying: “Give me one thing I ask — your vote — and I will give you all you ask for five years.”

Meanwhile, Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) had earlier extended support to the AIADMK and urged Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to invite the party to form the government.

In a letter addressed to the governor, AMMK General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran stated that the party supported AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s claim to form the government.

Dhinakaran noted that AMMK secured one seat in the election and that MLA-elect Kamaraj S., who won the Mannargudi constituency, had endorsed the party’s position.

“I hereby extend my full support to the claim of Thiru Edappadi K. Palaniswami to form the new Government of the State of Tamil Nadu,” the letter stated.

Despite the support extended to AIADMK, Vijay ultimately secured sufficient legislative backing to form the new administration.