Chandrasekar Joseph Vijay, president of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has officially been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, MAy 10th after a closely watched and highly negotiated political process. The 51-year-old actor-turned-politician, whose party secured 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly in last month’s election, spent nearly a week in intense discussions with both the Governor and possible allies to secure the required majority. The key hurdle was reaching the magic figure of 118 MLAs.
His government also marks a major political turning point for Tamil Nadu, the first time in nearly six decades that the state will be governed by a party outside the DMK and AIADMK dominance.
In his first address after assuming office, Vijay struck a personal tone, telling supporters he sees himself as “a son and a brother,” and assuring them of his commitment to their welfare. He is expected to seek a confidence vote by May 13.
Over five days and multiple rounds of talks, Vijay met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar several times while working to consolidate support across party lines. Initially backed by the Congress, which holds five seats, he still fell short of the majority and was advised to prove his numbers.
Subsequent negotiations brought in support from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), adding four more MLAs to his camp. However, even then, the coalition remained just below the required mark, especially after accounting for Vijay’s election from two constituencies, one of which he must vacate.
The breakthrough came on Saturday when two DMK allies, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), extended their backing. This pushed the alliance strength to 120 MLAs, comfortably above the majority threshold.
With written support in hand, Vijay returned to the Governor and formally staked claim to form the government. After reviewing the numbers and holding discussions, the Governor invited him to form the government.
On Sunday, Vijay took oath as Chief Minister at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in front of a large gathering that included his parents S. A. Chandrasekhar and Shobha, actor Trisha, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.