C Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar took the oath of office as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday morning.
The transition marks a historic shift in the region's political landscape, as the TVK party has ended decades of dominance by the DMK and AIADMK parties.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Following the event, Vijay assumed official charge at the Tamil Nadu State Secretariat.
Vijay’s ascent to power follows a narrow electoral result. His party, the TVK, secured 117 MLAs [3] in the 234-member Assembly [1]. This total fell just short of the 118-member majority threshold [2] required to govern alone, prompting the formation of a coalition to secure a working majority.
The ceremony drew attention from veteran political figures. VK Sasikala wished the new chief minister an "excellent administration" and said, "Follow MGR and Jayalalithaa's footsteps."
This marks the first time in 2026 [4] that a new political force has successfully dismantled the long-standing bipolarity of Tamil Nadu politics. The TVK chief's transition from the film industry to the state's highest executive office reflects a growing trend of celebrity influence in Indian regional governance.
“The transition marks a historic shift in the region's political landscape.”
The installation of C Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar as chief minister represents a significant disruption of the established political order in Tamil Nadu. By breaking the decades-long alternating rule of the DMK and AIADMK, the TVK party has introduced a third major pillar into the state's governance. The reliance on a coalition to reach the 118-seat majority threshold suggests that Vijay's early legislative agenda will depend heavily on the stability of his alliance partners.
