LIVE! 17th TN Assembly convenes tomorrow; Udhayanidhi to be Leader of Opposition
Vijay sets in motion first non-DMK, non-AIADMK leadership since 1967; newly elected TVK ministers signal radical departure from traditional governance
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at the sprawling Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai today (May 10).
Vijay recommended a list of nine individuals for appointment as ministers in the state cabinet. The list includes N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Dr KG Arunraj, KA Sengottaiyan, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr TK Prabhu, and Selvi S Keerthana.
The government has been formed after extensive discussions with smaller parties, which were intent on keeping both the BJP and AIADMK out of the state’s power structure.
Once sworn in, 51-year-old C Joseph Vijay will become the first leader outside the DMK and AIADMK camps to head the Tamil Nadu government since 1967.
Also read | How Vijay glided effortlessly from Kodambakkam to Fort St George
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is attending the swearing-in ceremony.
Power transition in Tamil Nadu
This development follows Vijay’s meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar at Lok Bhavan on Saturday after his party secured the majority required to form the government.
Capping days of hectic parleying to shore up numbers to usher in the first non-DMK, non-AIADMDK government in nearly 70 years, Vijay finally managed to secure the support of four MLAs of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Saturday.
He then headed to the Lok Bhavan for his fourth meeting with Governor Arlekar in as many days to discuss government formation, before the latter appointed Vijay as CM and invited him to form ministry.
The VCK and IUML extended “unconditional support,” to Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. However, DMK's allies, including the VCK, have made it clear that they continue to be part of the Dravidian party-led alliance.
VCK support changes equation
The suspense over government formation ended when the Thol Thirumavalavan-led VCK, which has two seats, finally extended support after keeping the TVK on tenterhooks and the political circles abuzz over its stand over the last two days.
VCK, a long-time ally of the Left parties who had extended their support to Vijay on Friday, had earlier announced its decision would be in sync with their stand. Shortly after VCK's decision to back Vijay, another DMK ally, the IUML also extended support to TVK. IUML has two MLAs.
Also read | Understanding the Vijay phenomenon in Tamil Nadu politics
With the two small parties' support, the numbers in favour of TVK rose to 120, just two more than the simple majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Vijay, who has won from two segments, Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East, has to resign from one of them, bringing down the party's strength to 107. The number of MLAs from parties supporting the TVK-- Congress (5) and the CPI, CPI (M), VCK and IUML with two MLAs each, stands at 13.
The Congress has ended its alliance with DMK but the others have said they continue in the Dravidian-party lead alliance.
Scroll below for Live updates.
Live Updates
- 10 May 2026 8:36 PM IST
PM congratulates CM Vijay over phone
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay, and congratulated him on taking the oath of office on Sunday.
The prime minister and the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu spoke over the phone, and, during the conversation, Modi congratulated Vijay on taking oath as the chief minister of the state, sources said.
Earlier, in a post on X, Modi, while congratulating Vijay, said the central government will keep working with the state government to improve the lives of people.
"Congratulations to Thiru C. Joseph Vijay on taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Best wishes for his tenure ahead. The Central Government will keep working with the Tamil Nadu Government to improve the lives of people," Modi said.
- 10 May 2026 8:32 PM IST
West Bengal CMO gets 9 new officers as Suvendu takes charge
The West Bengal government on Sunday carried out a bureaucratic reshuffle, appointing two IAS officers and seven WBCS (Executive) officers in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), according to official notifications.
P Promoth, currently serving as joint secretary in the MSME and Textiles Department, and Navneet Mittal, ADM of Paschim Medinipur, were appointed as joint secretaries in the CMO with immediate effect, said the notifications.
The seven WBCS (Executive) officers were posted as senior deputy secretaries in the CMO.
Officials currently serving in departments such as Housing, Fisheries, and Land Reforms, besides various districts, were among those given new assignments in the reshuffle.
The new administration had on Saturday reassigned 16 officers, who were posted in the CMO when Mamata Banerjee was the chief minister.
Retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta was appointed the advisor to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, hours after he was sworn in, while Shantanu Bala was named the CM's private secretary.
- 10 May 2026 8:19 PM IST
Vijay visits Periyar Thidal, meets DK chief Veeramani
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph C Vijay on Sunday visited Periyar Thidal to meet Dravida Kazhagam president K Veeramani. The meeting was described as a courtesy call.
On his arrival, Vijay paid floral tributes at the memorial of E V Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar. The CM later held a brief discussion with Veeramani on the current socio-political situation in the state.
The visit is seen as a symbolic nod to the self-respect movement.
Periyar Thidal serves as the headquarters of the Dravida Kazhagam, an organisation rooted in the Dravidian ideological movement in Tamil Nadu.
The complex also houses the Periyar Museum and the memorial of the social reformer, making it a symbolic “pilgrimage” site for political leaders seeking to reaffirm their Dravidian ideological credentials. - 10 May 2026 7:53 PM IST
Udhayanidhi elected as Leader of DMK Legislature Party
Udhayanidhi Stalin has been elected as the Leader of the DMK Legislature Party, while KN Nehru has been elected as Deputy Leader and EV Velu appointed as the party whip. These decisions were reportedly taken at the DMK Legislature Party meeting held at Kalaignar Arangam in Anna Arivalayam, Chennai, under the leadership of MK Stalin on May 7. - 10 May 2026 5:55 PM IST
Vijay holds review meet on law and order
Under the chairmanship of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, a review meeting on the law-and-order situation in Tamil Nadu was held at the Chief Secretariat on Sunday (May 10). - 10 May 2026 5:20 PM IST
TN Assembly to convene first session; Speaker election on Tuesday
The seventeenth Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has been summoned to meet for its first session at 9.30 am on Monday in the Assembly chamber at the State Secretariat.
A government release on Sunday said that newly elected members will take the oath or make an affirmation on that day.
Members have been asked to bring their election certificates while presenting themselves to take the oath or make an affirmation.
Similarly, the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House will be held on Tuesday at 9.30 am. - 10 May 2026 5:19 PM IST
Vijay turns oath-taking into powerful ‘oath speech’, TN Guv corrects him
TVK chief Vijay on Sunday attempted to convert the oath-taking ceremony into a powerful oath-speech by going off-script and making hand gestures to signify his strength and power, but Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar intervened and asked him to confine to the official oath.
Immediately after the Governor began to administer the oath to him, Vijay went off-script and started saying, “I, C Joseph Vijay, will stay true to the legally established Constitution of India.... as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, I will work honestly and dedicatedly to fulfil my responsibilities. I will adhere to the rule of law, work with honesty, remove hate, and will work honestly for all sections of the people. This I swear on God and take the oath,” saying thus, Vijay raised his right hand as he swore on god and clenched his fist.
TVK MLA-elect A Rajmohan, who was standing behind Vijay, clapped his hands in jubilation and party workers too erupted in joy. Vijay’s parents, film maker SA Chandrasekhar and Shoba, present in front of the dais, turned emotional.
The Governor intervened and asked Vijay to read out the official oath from the paper provided to him. Vijay sought some clarification from the Governor and read out from the written oath. - 10 May 2026 4:19 PM IST
Patnaik congratulates Vijay
BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday congratulated C Joseph Vijay on being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Patnaik, a former five-time chief minister of Odisha, said he was hopeful that Tamil Nadu would reach new heights of development under Vijay's leadership.
