Thalapathy Vijay was sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu in Chennai following the 2026 state assembly elections [3].
The appointment marks a historic shift in regional power, ending the decades-long political duopoly held by the Dravidian parties, the DMK and the AIADMK [1, 2].
Vijay leads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, which won 108 seats in the 2026 election [1]. To secure a stable government, the Indian National Congress broke its long-standing alliance with the DMK. The Congress party pledged its five newly won assembly seats to the new ruling coalition [3, 5].
This strategic partnership allowed the TVK-led government to surpass the majority threshold of 118 seats required to form a government in the assembly [2, 3]. The shift in alignment by the Congress party was a decisive factor in enabling the new coalition to cross this mark [2].
During the oath-taking ceremony in Chennai, nine TVK leaders were sworn in as ministers [1, 3]. The transition represents a significant departure from the established political order in the state, as a cinema star successfully transitions into the highest executive office of the region [2].
The new administration now faces the task of governing a state traditionally dominated by the two Dravidian giants. The coalition's ability to maintain stability will depend on the continued support of the Congress party, and the effectiveness of the nine newly appointed ministers [1, 3].
“Thalapathy Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu”
The ascent of Thalapathy Vijay to the Chief Minister's office signals a collapse of the traditional Dravidian bipolarity that has defined Tamil Nadu politics for decades. By leveraging a strong electoral showing and a tactical alliance with the Indian National Congress, the TVK has successfully disrupted the DMK-AIADMK power structure, potentially altering the state's political landscape for the foreseeable future.
