Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony highlights: Vijay takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM, PM Modi congratulates him

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: TVK chief C Joseph Vijay on Sunday attempted to make a powerful address during his oath-taking as CM, but Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar intervened and asked him to confine to the official oath.

Vijay tried to go off the script by making hand gestures to signify strength and power.

Immediately after the Governor began to administer the oath to him, Vijay went off-script and started saying, "I, C Joseph Vijay, will stay true to the legally established Constitution of India.... as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, I will work honestly and dedicatedly to fulfil my responsibilities. I will adhere to the rule of law, work with honesty, remove hate, and will work honestly for all sections of the people. This I swear on god and take the oath," saying thus, Vijay raised his right hand as he swore on god and clenched his fist.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: Up until last evening, suspense loomed over the government formation in Tamil Nadu.

The Vijay-led TVK still lacked the majority support to stake claim in government formation.

But things started moving at a fast pace towards the evening as the VCK extended unconditional support with its two MLAs. Senior TVK leader Adhav Arjuna showed the letter of support and claimed ‘victory’.

A little while later, IUML also extended support, strengthening the TVK's case for government formation.

The next step was that Vijay would go the governor with majority support and stake claim for govt formation.

But reports emerged that the governor was scheduled to fly to Kerala at 7:10 pm.

By 6pm, Lok Bhavan sources said the governor had cancelled his flight and would meet Vijay at 6:30pm.

Vijay and representatives from his alliance partners met the governor and the meeting lasted for about an hour.

The governor then appointed him the chief minister and handed him the appointment letter.

The Lok Bhavan announced that the oath ceremony would be held at 10 am at Nehru Stadium.

On Sunday morning, Vijay took oath as Tamil Nadu's new CM along with 9 MLAs.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Vijay, the newly elected chief minister of Tamil Nadu, and congratulated him on taking oath, ANI reported, citing sources.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: One of the leading actors in the Tamil movie industry, Vijay, was born in 1974 and made his cinematic debut in 1992 with ‘Naalaiya Theerpu’. He comes from a film background, and his father, S A Chandrasekaran, is a director who directed his debut film. Vijay's mother, Shoba Chandrasekhar, is a playback singer and vocalist. After almost three decades of a successful film career, he finally made the switch to politics in 2024 and launched his party TVK. Read more about his journey.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: The DMK has chosen Udhayanidhi Stalin as Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph C Vijay chaired a review meeting with top officials on Sunday to take stock of the law and order situation in the state.This was Vijay's first review meeting after assuming office as CM.

Although TVK on its own did not secure the majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, Vijay managed to get support from the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI (M) and IUML to gather 120 MLAs and cross the 118 majority mark to form the government.

According to a press release, a comprehensive assessment of the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu was carried out during the meeting.

Vijay also discussed measures to enhance women's safety, as well as strategies to prevent drug-related crimes and take stringent action against offenders.

He further stated that continuous and comprehensive reviews of the law and order situation would be conducted.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home, Prohibition and Excise Department) K Manivasan, and Director General of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore.

via PTI

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: Actor and producer V Natarajan described the TVK Chief C Joseph Vijay as a "calm, humble and kind-hearted person" after the actor was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

While talking to the media, Natarajan expressed hope in Vijay's governance, saying that "Vijay would provide Tamil Nadu with a corruption-free and bribery-free administration."

"He (Vijay) is a calm, humble and kind-hearted person. I have known Vijay from his early days in cinema. The promises made by Vijay during the election campaign were not mere cinema dialogues, but words that came from his heart. Vijay would provide Tamil Nadu with a corruption-free and bribery-free administration," said Natarajan.

Earlier, actor R Madhavan congratulated TVK chief Vijay after his swearing-in on Sunday.

Madhavan took to his Instagram handle to extend his congratulations to Vijay, sharing a portrait of the newly sworn-in leader.

In his caption, Madhavan wrote, "God bless you and sooooo Proud of you." The image carried a more detailed message addressed to Vijay, in which Madhavan expressed his wishes for the Chief Minister's tenure.

via ANI

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: CPI state secretary M Veerapandian on Sunday said that the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' (invocation) must be accorded the foremost position in the protocol of government ceremonies.

The statement came after the order of songs at the ceremony in which Joseph C Vijay took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu placed 'Vande Mataram' first, followed by the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', and the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' third.

"During the ceremony, the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' was placed third, while 'Vande Mataram' and the national anthem were given the first and second positions, respectively," he said, adding that government ceremonies in Tamil Nadu traditionally begin with the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' and end with the national anthem.

Veerapandian alleged that it had been established during the freedom struggle itself that 'Vande Mataram' could not serve as the national anthem because the song is dedicated to a specific deity and possesses a sectarian religious character.

"In this context, the decision, allegedly taken under the directives of Lok Bhavan, to accord the primary position to 'Vande Mataram' while placing the Tamil invocation third in the agenda of the swearing-in ceremony organised by the Tamil Nadu government constitutes a violation of established tradition," he alleged.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: In a move that signals a swift departure from previous fiscal policies while doubling down on populist welfare, the newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay, signed his first major government order (GO) on Sunday, granting 200 units of free electricity bimonthly to eligible domestic consumers.

The announcement came just hours after the actor-turned-politician took the oath of office as the state's 13th Chief Minister at Fort St. George, marking the official commencement of what he calls the era of "real, secular, and social justice."

According to the state government, eligible domestic consumers with a bimonthly consumption of up to 500 units will receive a total of 200 units of free electricity bimonthly, under this provision, effective from today.

Meanwhile, for those consuming more than 500 units bimonthly, the existing tariff structure remains in place, which includes the previous benefit of 100 units of free electricity bimonthly.

via ANI

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: Outgoing Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday congratulated Joseph Vijay on assuming office as the CM of Tamil Nadu and expressed hope that his government would uphold the values of social justice, secularism and public welfare.

In a congratulatory message, Vijayan said the mandate given by the people in a democracy carried immense responsibility.

He also expressed confidence that the trust reposed in Vijay by the people of Tamil Nadu would translate into a model of governance committed to inclusive and secular values.

A Politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Vijayan, also highlighted the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Kerala and Tamil Nadu and said the two southern states could work together to strengthen the federal system and protect secular principles.

via PTI

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: S Keerthana was sworn in as a minister in the TVK-led government in Tamil Nadu on the same day party chief Vijay took oath as the chief minister. She is among the nine ministers inducted into the newly formed cabinet, who took oath on Sunday morning at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, alongside N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, TK Prabhu and KG Anuraj. Keerthana is the newly elected MLA from Sivakasi, often referred to as the ‘Fireworks Capital of India’. A postgraduate, she is the youngest member of the cabinet at 29. She won the Sivakasi seat by a margin of 11,697 votes in the recently concluded elections. Read more about S Keerthana here

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on Sunday paid tribute to social reformer E V Ramasamy (Periyar) at the Dravidar Kazhagam-associated Thanthai Periyar EV Ramaswamy Memorial located at Periyar Thidal in Chennai, shortly after assuming office as the 13th Chief Minister of the state.

He was also seen being welcomed by DMK leader K Veeramani during his visit, as per visuals from the spot.

Visuals from the memorial showed Vijay paying homage at the site, which houses a monument, library and museum dedicated to Periyar's legacy of rationalism, women's rights and social justice.

The memorial complex is considered a key centre for promoting Periyar's ideology and his movement for the eradication of the caste system in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: TVK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday resigned from Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency and has retained Perambur, the State Assembly Secretariat said.

An official release said before he assumed office as chief minister, Vijay tendered his resignation and sent the letter to Assembly Principal Secretary K Srinivasan through Ministers K A Sengottaiyan and P Venkataraman.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: When C Joseph Vijay addressed his party's second state conference in Madurai last August, he made clear his disdain for alliances, in their existing form at the time at least. “I don't have the need to join any slave alliance.” He declared to a packed crowd. He said if his the TVK would ally with anyone at all, “It won't be a selfish alliance; it'll be a self-respect-oriented alliance."

He chose to go it alone in the assembly polls held in April 2026, and on May 10 became chief minister, making some interesting history — his is the state's first post-poll coalition government, stitched together after a tense week of negotiations with parties he had not campaigned with, some of whom had actively campaigned against him.

There appears to be an irony, but the arithmetic meant it had to happen.

The TVK — founded by a superstar actor who once had an ester egg in his movie about becoming CM in 2026 — won 108 seats, becoming the single largest party in the 234-member assembly.

Ten seats short of majority, Vijay had to do what no winning party leader in Tamil Nadu has had to do since the Dravidian era began in 1967; he had to go looking for support after the votes were counted.

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Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: As DMK chief and outgoing Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin congratulated C Joseph Vijay after his oath ceremony, he pointed at his speech and said that his government had ‘clearly explained’ the financial position of the Tamil Nadu government in the February budget. “ Didn't you know that? It was only after that you gave various promises to the people? Don't deceive the people who voted for you again and try to divert the issue!” Stalin wrote on X.

Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: TVK workers burst crackers, distribute sweets and celebrate as their leader, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief C Joseph Vijay, took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Jubilant fans of actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay on Sunday celebrated his swearing-in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu with drumbeats, dances, fireworks, and the distribution of sweets in Kerala's Palakkad district.

Braving the scorching heat, large numbers of supporters gathered at various places in the district to mark what many described as a "historic political moment".

Fans danced to songs featuring Vijay, waved the whistle symbol of his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and raised slogans hailing him as "Thalapathi Vijay".

Several supporters were seen wearing T-shirts with photographs of Vijay, while a young fan danced on the road, waving a party-coloured shawl.

"Tamil Nadu is going to script history," an excited supporter said amid the celebrations.

Another fan, overwhelmed with emotion, said Vijay had built not merely a fan base but an "empire".

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Sunday congratulated newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, while also cautioning him against blaming the previous government over the state's financial condition and urging him to fulfil the promises made to the people during the election campaign.

In a post on X, Stalin extended his wishes to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government and welcomed the announcements signed by Vijay immediately after assuming office.

"I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, @ActorVijay, leader of the victorious Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, upon assuming this responsibility. I also welcome the announcements you have signed immediately upon taking office," Stalin wrote.

Dr P. Senthilkumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu, Health and Family Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Additional Chief Secretary/ Secretary-I to the Chief Minister

Tmt G.Laxmi Priya, IAS, Secretary to Government, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, is transferred and posted as Secretary-II to the Chief Minister

The Government has declared that the post of Additional Chief Secretary/Secretary I to Chief Minister and the post of Secretary-II to Chief Minister created in paras 1 and 2 above be equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre posts of "Chief Secretary" and "Registrar of Cooperative Societies" specified in Schedule II-A of the IAS (Pay) Rules, 2016.

TVK leader and State Minister Dr KG Arunraj says, "This is a historic occasion. A historic chapter has begun in the history of Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu have given this huge mandate with hopes and trust in our people, in our leader. We will fulfil all the priorities. Our priority will be clean and neat governments, women's welfare, women's safety and a drug-free state... First, we will bring out a white paper to know the exact state of our financial situation in the state, and accordingly, we'll make the decision..."

Tamil Nadu Minister and TVK leader R. Nirmalkumar says, "The people of Tamil Nadu have trusted our party and our leader and given maximum votes to us. From day one, we'll work to fulfil the promises. As our leader mentioned, we'll publish a white paper and conduct a complete audit of all departments. We'll publish a white paper for every department, outlining what is there, what is not, what needs to be focused on, and what needs to be prioritised. The state has been looted for several years, and the people of Tamil Nadu have the right to know what is there in the department and what is not there..."

TVK leader and State Minister Aadhav Arjuna says, "It is a people's victory. Tamil Nadu women and youth's victory. Our leader and all ministers will give a transparent government that will work for all minority brothers and sisters. We will work for the development, particularly social justice and secularism. Definitely, we will change the state. We'll start a new history..."

Actor-turned chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President Vijay on Sunday, who came dressed in a black suit to take oath of office, added a personal cinematic flourish to the ceremony with a selfie moment with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

After Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar swore in Vijay as the 13th chief minister of Tami;l Nadu at the Jawaharlal Nehru indoor stadium in Chennai, the superstar fished out his phone and took a selfie with Gandhi and other dignitaries on stage. He then turned and panned his phone camera to record a 360-degree video of the cheering crowd present at the oath-taking ceremony, capturing the special moment after his party's historic debut performance that ended the duopoly of DMK and AIADMK.