Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay is scheduled to be sworn in as the ninth chief minister of Tamil Nadu at 10 a.m. today, in what promises to be a historic conclusion to nearly six decades of alternating ruel by the DMK and AIADMK.
The ceremony will be presided over by the governor of Tamil Nadu, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and will take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged as the single-largest entity in the 2026 assembly elections with 108 seats. After vacating one of two contested seats, the party's effective strength stands at 107.
This comes on the back of Vijay securing a post-poll coalition totalling 120 MLAs, just two more than the required 118.
The alliance includes:
- Congress: 5 seats
- Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK): 2 seats
- Indian Union Muslim League (IUML): 2 seats
- Communist Party of India (CPI): 2 seats
- Communist Party of India (Marxist): 2 seats
Nine ministers are expected to take the oath alongside Vijay. The cabinet list submitted to the governor includes prominent figures such as "Bussy" N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, and K.A. Sengottaiyan.
The new cabinet is expected to represent various regions of Tamil Nadu, with five ministers from Chennai, three from the Southern Tamil Nadu area and two from the western belt.
The governor has directed Vijay to seek a vote of confidence in the assembly on or before May 13.
Vijay's ascent follows a nail-biting week of political negotiations after a hung assembly verdict.
By stitching together a coalition of parties traditionally aligned with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the 51-year-old leader has effectively dismantled the bipolar political landscape that has dominated Tamil Nadu since 1967.
Supporters have gathered in large numbers outside the stadium since dawn to witness what many describe as the dawn of a new political era.
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