Tamil Nadu: Vijay’s marathon race for power ends, to take oath as CM today

The four-day political deadlock that gripped Tamil Nadu has finally dissolved. On Saturday evening, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President C Joseph Vijay called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan to officially stake his claim to form the government. The actor-turned-politician is now set to take the oath as Chief Minister today (May 10) at 3:15 pm at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

The breakthrough came after a series of high-stakes negotiations following a fractured mandate in the Assembly elections. While Vijay’s TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, it initially fell short of the 118-seat majority mark. The uncertainty ended when the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) extended "unconditional support" to the TVK on Saturday.

“We have extended our support to ensure that the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) does not become an obstacle to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam — which has secured 108 seats — forming the government, and to prevent the imposition of President's Rule in Tamil Nadu,” stated VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan.

With the additional backing of the Congress (5 seats), CPI (2), and CPI(M) (2), Vijay’s coalition strength reached 121 MLAs. Outgoing Chief Minister MK Stalin noted that the DMK would act as a “constructive opposition,” welcoming the decision of alliance partners to prioritize political stability.

Meanwhile, a festive atmosphere has taken hold of Chennai. TVK workers and supporters gathered outside the party headquarters and Raj Bhavan, bursting firecrackers to celebrate the end of a nail-biting political transition. This swearing-in marks a historic shift in the state's leadership, as Vijay prepares to lead the first non-DMK or AIADMK government in decades.