C. Joseph Vijay Set to Become Tamil Nadu's New Chief Minister: A Political Shift
C. Joseph Vijay's Historic Oath-Taking Ceremony
Chennai: C. Joseph Vijay, the leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is set to take the oath as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister this Sunday, accompanied by nine ministers. His party has garnered the backing of 120 MLAs, surpassing the majority threshold of 118 in the 234-member Assembly.
A statement from Lok Bhavan confirmed that Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has sanctioned the list of nine ministers proposed by Vijay for the new cabinet.
The ministers who will take the oath alongside Vijay include N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Dr. K.G. Arunraj, K.A. Sengottaiyan, P. Venkataramanan, R. Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr. T.K. Prabhu, and S. Keerthana.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, with numerous national and regional leaders in attendance.
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, arrived in Chennai on Sunday morning to join the event.
Vijay's rise to power follows extensive political negotiations after a divided outcome in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Although the TVK emerged as the largest party with 108 seats, it did not achieve a majority on its own. The political stalemate was resolved when Congress, CPI, CPI-M, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) pledged their support to Vijay's party, enabling the alliance to reach the crucial 'magic number' of 118 needed to establish the government.
With the support of its allies, the Vijay-led coalition now comprises 120 MLAs in the Assembly.
After securing the backing from alliance partners, Vijay met with Governor Arlekar to present letters of support and formally claimed the right to form the government. The Governor then invited him to establish the ministry and instructed the new government to demonstrate its majority in the Assembly by May 13.
The establishment of the Vijay-led government is viewed as a significant political shift in Tamil Nadu, a state where Dravidian parties have held sway for nearly sixty years.