Udhayanidhi Stalin Takes Oath as Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly

Udhayanidhi Stalin has officially taken his oath as the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, following the formation of the Tamilaga Vetrik Kazhagam government. The assembly session commenced with the acting chairperson welcoming members and acknowledging the contributions of influential leaders. Chief Minister Vijay also participated in the ceremony, which saw several ministers and senior leaders taking their oaths. The TVK emerged as the largest party in the recent elections, forming a government with support from various allies. This event marks a pivotal moment in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 11, 2026, 15:08 IST

Udhayanidhi Stalin Sworn in as Opposition Leader

On Monday, Udhayanidhi Stalin, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, officially took his oath as the Leader of the Opposition in the newly formed Tamil Nadu Assembly. This event occurred as members of the assembly were sworn in following the establishment of the Tamilaga Vetrik Kazhagam (TVK) government, led by C. Joseph Vijay. Prior to the proceedings, Udhayanidhi entered the assembly and took his designated seat for the opposition leader.

Later, Chief Minister Vijay arrived and greeted Udhayanidhi before the oath-taking ceremony commenced.

Assembly Session Commencement

The session was inaugurated by the acting chairperson, M.V. Karuppaiya, who welcomed all members to the first session of the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly. Addressing the assembly in Tamil, Karuppaiya expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Vijay for the opportunity to contest in the elections and thanked the voters in his constituency for electing him as a legislator. He also acknowledged the Chief Minister for appointing him as the acting chairperson.

Tributes to Influential Leaders

Karuppaiya paid homage to notable leaders such as Periyar, K. Kamaraj, B.R. Ambedkar, Rani Velu Nachiyar, and Anjalai Ammal, recognizing them as ideological inspirations for the new government. Following the assembly procedures, Chief Minister Vijay took his oath first as the legislator from the Perambur constituency, followed by other ministers and assembly members.

Ministers including N. Anand, Adhav Arjun, K.G. Arunraj, K.A. Sengottaiyan, Raj Mohan, C.T. Nirmal Kumar, and Venkataraman also took their oaths as assembly members.

Senior Leaders Join the Oath Ceremony

Former ministers P.K. Shekhar Babu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and O. Panneerselvam, among other senior leaders, also took their oaths. In the recent Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the TVK emerged as the largest party with 108 seats, forming the government with support from Congress, VCK, left parties, and IUML.