Vijay’s Political Test Ends in Triumph, Set to Take Oath as Tamil Nadu CM

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay is set to become the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar invited him to form the government on Saturday, marking a major political shift in the state.

According to an official release from Raj Bhavan, Vijay will take oath along with his council of ministers on Sunday at 10 am at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Governor has also directed him to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly on or before May 13 .

Vijay’s elevation is historically significant as he will become the first leader outside the DMK and AIADMK political formations to head the Tamil Nadu government since 1967 . For nearly six decades, power in the state alternated between the two Dravidian giants and their alliances.

The TVK founder secured the opportunity to form the government after presenting letters of support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which have two MLAs each. Their backing pushed the TVK-led camp to 120 seats in the 234-member Assembly, crossing the majority mark of 118.

Vijay met the Governor along with Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai , CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam and leaders from supporting parties.

The 2026 Assembly election produced a fractured verdict, with TVK emerging as the single largest party with 108 seats. The DMK alliance was reduced to 73 seats, while the AIADMK-led bloc secured 53 seats.

The post-poll phase witnessed intense negotiations and political maneuvering, including speculation over possible tactical coordination between the DMK and AIADMK to prevent Vijay from taking power. Several parties also moved their MLAs to resorts amid fears of defections and cross-voting.

Congress, Left parties and smaller regional groups eventually rallied behind Vijay, describing the arrangement as necessary to ensure a stable and secular government .

Vijay’s rapid transition from cinema superstar to Chief Minister has drawn comparisons with former actor-politicians M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa , both of whom reshaped Tamil Nadu politics during their eras.