R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MAY 9
After days of intense political uncertainty, relentless negotiations, constitutional deadlock and high-voltage suspense, actor-turned-politician Vijay is finally set to script the biggest moment of his political journey — taking oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
- TVK chief C Joseph Vijay to take oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after dramatic numbers race and days of constitutional suspense
- Rahul Gandhi, Opposition leaders likely to attend mega swearing-in ceremony at Chennai’s Nehru Stadium
- Vijay overcomes alliance uncertainty, Governor deadlock and political isolation to touch magic figure of 120 MLAs
- Actor-turned-politician ends six-decade Dravidian dominance with stunning political ascent built on public wave and relentless negotiations
VIDEO | Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar appoints TVK chief C Joseph Vijay as Chief Minister of the state.
After VCK and IUML declared support to TVK to form a government, actor-politician Vijay called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and presented him letters from… pic.twitter.com/DV3ujeIoNs
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 9, 2026
In a dramatic late-night breakthrough on Saturday, Tamil Nadu Governor R V Arlekar formally appointed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam founder as Chief Minister after Vijay submitted letters of support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League, helping TVK cross the crucial majority mark in the 234-member Assembly.
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The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 10 AM on Sunday and is expected to witness the presence of top Opposition leaders from across the country, including Rahul Gandhi.
For Vijay, the road to Fort St. George has been anything but smooth.
What initially appeared to be a historic and sweeping electoral triumph soon transformed into a bruising political struggle after TVK emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats but fell short of the 118 majority mark required to form the government.
The days that followed saw Tamil Nadu descend into one of its most dramatic post-election crises in recent history.
Vijay faced repeated setbacks after Governor Arlekar declined to immediately invite him to form the government, insisting that the TVK demonstrate clear majority support before staking claim. The actor-politician met the Governor multiple times over three tense days, but each meeting initially ended without a breakthrough.
The uncertainty triggered massive protests by TVK cadres and supporters across Tamil Nadu, who accused Raj Bhavan of denying the single-largest party an opportunity to prove its strength on the Assembly floor.
At the same time, rival political camps began intense manoeuvring behind the scenes. Reports of AIADMK legislators being moved to resorts, speculation over shifting alliances, reluctance among smaller parties and fierce political attacks from opponents added to the pressure on the first-time political challenger.
Political commentators questioned TVK’s coalition strategy, while rivals from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam accused Vijay of approaching the Governor without securing sufficient numbers.
Despite the mounting pressure, Vijay continued back-channel negotiations with regional parties and allies while carefully navigating constitutional complexities and public expectations.
The breakthrough finally came after the VCK and IUML formally extended support, pushing the TVK-led formation to 120 MLAs and clearing the path for government formation.
According to an official release from Lok Bhavan, Governor Arlekar has directed Vijay to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly on or before May 13.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore congratulated Vijay and described the moment as the beginning of a new era of “inclusive governance, social justice and transparent administration” in Tamil Nadu.
Vijay’s elevation marks one of the most extraordinary political transformations in modern Tamil Nadu history — from a cinematic superstar commanding mass fan following to a first-time politician who dismantled the six-decade political dominance of the Dravidian heavyweights in his electoral debut.
The oath-taking ceremony is expected to draw massive crowds, emotional scenes and unprecedented security arrangements as Tamil Nadu prepares to witness a historic political transition that has already rewritten the state’s political narrative.
