Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM with 9 ministers, TVK ends Dravidian era
Synopsis
Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay has achieved what no non-Dravidian leader has managed in nearly six decades — forming a government in Tamil Nadu. With TVK short of a majority at 108 seats, a five-party alliance pushed the count to 120, and Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister alongside nine ministers at Chennai's Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
Key Takeaways
Joseph Vijay of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, 11 May 2025 .
Nine ministers — including N.
Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Dr K.G.
Keerthana — took oath alongside Vijay.
TVK won 108 seats but needed alliance support from Congress, CPI, CPI-M, VCK, and IUML to reach 120 MLAs , crossing the majority mark of 118 .
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar approved the cabinet list and directed the new government to prove its majority on or before 13 May .
The swearing-in was held at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai , with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi among those present.
This marks the first non-Dravidian government in Tamil Nadu in nearly six decades .
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, 11 May 2025, alongside nine cabinet ministers, after his alliance secured the backing of 120 MLAs — crossing the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, in the presence of several national and regional leaders.
The Nine Ministers Who Took Oath
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar approved the list of nine ministers recommended by Vijay for induction into the new cabinet, according to a release issued by the Lok Bhavan. The ministers who took oath alongside Vijay are N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Dr K.G. Arunraj, K.A. Sengottaiyan, P. Venkataramanan, R. Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr T.K. Prabhu, and S. Keerthana.
How the Alliance Crossed the Majority Mark
The TVK emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections with 108 seats, but fell short of the halfway mark on its own. Days of intense political negotiations followed the fractured verdict before the deadlock was broken. The Indian National Congress (Congress), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended support to Vijay's party, helping the alliance reach the 120-MLA threshold required to form the government.
Following the confirmation of alliance support, Vijay met Governor Arlekar, submitted letters of support, and formally staked his claim to form the government. The Governor subsequently invited him to form the ministry and directed the new government to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly on or before 13 May.
National Leaders at the Ceremony
Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi arrived in Chennai on Sunday morning to attend the swearing-in ceremony, signalling the Congress party's stake in the new alliance government. Several other national and regional leaders were also present at the event.
A Historic Shift in Tamil Nadu Politics
The formation of the Vijay-led government is being widely described as a major political turning point for Tamil Nadu, where Dravidian parties have dominated the state's political landscape for nearly six decades. This is the first time a non-Dravidian formation has come to power in the state in that period, marking a significant rupture in the established political order. Notably, Vijay — a celebrated film actor turned politician — built TVK from scratch and contested his first election as party chief, making his ascent to the Chief Minister's chair one of the most dramatic political journeys in recent Indian history. The new government is expected to face an early test of its stability when it goes to the floor of the Assembly for a trust vote before 13 May.
Point of View
However, means Vijay governs on borrowed numbers from five alliance partners, each with their own agenda. The trust vote before 13 May is a formality on paper, but the harder test is whether a coalition of ideologically diverse parties — from the Congress to the Left to the IUML — can hold together long enough to govern. Tamil Nadu's political history is littered with alliances that fractured under the weight of coalition arithmetic. Vijay enters office as a phenomenon; whether he can convert star power into institutional governance is the real question this term will answer.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is C. Joseph Vijay and which party does he lead?
C. Joseph Vijay is a celebrated Tamil film actor who founded and leads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). He contested his first election as party chief and has now been sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
How did TVK form the government despite falling short of a majority?
TVK won 108 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections but needed 118 for a majority in the 234-member House. Support from Congress, CPI, CPI-M, VCK, and IUML pushed the alliance's total to 120 MLAs, enabling government formation.
Who are the nine ministers sworn in with Vijay?
The nine ministers who took oath alongside Chief Minister Vijay are N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Dr K.G. Arunraj, K.A. Sengottaiyan, P. Venkataramanan, R. Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr T.K. Prabhu, and S. Keerthana.
When must the new Tamil Nadu government prove its majority?
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has directed the Vijay-led government to prove its majority on the floor of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on or before 13 May.
Why is Vijay's swearing-in historically significant for Tamil Nadu?
Vijay's government is the first non-Dravidian formation to come to power in Tamil Nadu in nearly six decades, ending the unbroken dominance of Dravidian parties — the DMK and AIADMK — that has defined the state's politics since the 1960s.
