He then turned and panned his phone camera to record a 360-degree video of the cheering crowd at the oath-taking ceremony, capturing the special moment after his party's historic debut performance that ended the duopoly of the DMK and the AIADMK.
Key Points
- Actor Vijay sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, marking a historic moment.
- Vijay's TVK party achieved a significant victory, ending the dominance of DMK and AIADMK.
- The swearing-in ceremony included a selfie with Rahul Gandhi and a 360-degree video of the crowd.
- Vijay expressed gratitude to the public and promised a new era of secular, social justice in Tamil Nadu.
- Vijay secured support from Congress, CPI-M, CPI, VCK, and IUML to form the government.
Actor-turned-chief minister of Tamil Nadu and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay, who arrived in a black suit to take the oath of office on Sunday, added a cinematic flourish to the ceremony with a selfie moment featuring Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
After Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar swore in Vijay as the 13th chief minister of Tamil Nadu at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, the superstar pulled out his phone and took a selfie with Gandhi and other dignitaries on stage.
He then turned and panned his phone camera to record a 360-degree video of the cheering crowd at the oath-taking ceremony, capturing the special moment after his party's historic debut performance that ended the duopoly of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Key Moments From The Swearing-In Ceremony
Vijay's parents, S A Chandrasekhar and Shobha, along with actor Trisha and several others from the film industry, were among the invitees at the ceremony.
Along with Vijay, who secured the support of 120 MLAs in the 234-member state Assembly, Arlekar also administered the oath of office to the new Cabinet, which includes ministers 'Bussy' N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K A Sengottaiyan, K G Arunraaj, P Venkataramanan, C T R Nirmal Kumar, A Rajmohan, Keerthana and K T Prabhu.
Vijay's Vision For Tamil Nadu
The first-time chief minister opted for a modern and formal look, donning a white full-sleeved shirt, black suit and black trousers, departing from the traditional dhoti and shirt typically worn by politicians in Tamil Nadu during swearing-in ceremonies.
In his address immediately after being sworn in, the actor-turned-politician expressed gratitude to the public for his victory.
He gave a clarion call: "Come, let all of us together give Tamil Nadu a fresh new government. This is a new beginning, the start of a new era of secularism and social justice."
As he began speaking, the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium erupted in cheers.
"My dear people, my own family, I am not some divine messenger or prophet. I am just an ordinary human being living a normal life. I will never deceive you with false promises. I will only promise what is possible," Vijay said, stressing his humble background.
Promises And Gratitude
The TVK chief promised to fulfil the assurances he made to the public ahead of the elections and said he was indebted to the people of Tamil Nadu.
"Come, let all of us together give Tamil Nadu a fresh new government. This is a new beginning, the start of a new era of secularism and social justice," the new chief minister said to resounding applause.
In an emotional speech, Vijay said, "I do not come from a royal family. I am just like your son, your daughter, your elder brother or your younger brother. That is how I see myself. And it was because you saw me that way that you gave me such a great place in cinema."
In a nod to the support he received from Gen Z voters, he said 'Vijay Mama' would always be there for them.
The 51-year-old was flanked by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and leaders of alliance partners the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, who extended support to the TVK to help it cross the majority mark required to form the government in the state.
He thanked the top Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary K C Venugopal.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections entered the history books after the state delivered an unprecedented mandate for Vijay.
While the TVK won 108 of the 234 seats in its maiden electoral contest, it also marked the first time in the state's political history that both legacy Dravidian parties were voted out of power.
However, Vijay could not secure a majority on his own and later received support from the Congress (5), the CPI-M (2), the CPI (2), the VCK (2) and the Indian Union Muslim League (2), all of which were earlier part of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance.
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