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Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has congratulated C Joseph Vijay, who assumed office as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu and wished him purposeful and pro-people proactive leadership.

"Only secular governments represent true democracy, founded on the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity for all citizens and a commitment to uphold and safeguard constitutional values," Yadav said in a post on X.

He expressed hope that Tamil Nadu's newly formed secular government will build upon its predecessors' legacy of public welfare initiatives. "Heartiest congratulations to Shri Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar ji on assuming office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I wish him purposeful and pro-people proactive leadership," he added.

DMK president M K Stalin on Sunday said Tamil Nadu's debt remained well within the "permissible limits".

His remarks came hours after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay alleged that the previous government has burdened the state with a debt of Rs 10 lakh crore and emptied the treasury.

In a post on X, Stalin said, "The debt level of Tamil Nadu is within the permitted limits." "Don't start saying right away that the government has no money," he said.

"We had clearly explained the financial position of the Tamil Nadu government in the February budget itself. Didn't you know that? It was only after that you made so many promises to the people. Don't deceive the people who voted for you and try to divert the issue," he added.

Stalin further said, Vijay, having recently assumed administrative responsibilities, would gradually understand the challenges involved in governance and fulfilling electoral promises.

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The Madras High Court on Sunday adjourned to May 11, further hearing on the petition filed by former DMK minister KR Periyakaruppan, who sought to restrain the TVK candidate who defeated him in election by one vote from taking oath as MLA.

The DMK's Tirupattur candidate for the April 23 Assembly polls moved the HC against TVK's R Srinivasa Sethupathi, who won by just one vote.

A vacation bench comprising Justices L Victoria Gowri and N Senthilkumar, which heard the petition for over three hours in a special sitting, adjourned to Monday, further hearing of the case.

Raising certain queries, the bench directed the Election Commission to file an affidavit on May 11.

Periyakaruppan contested from the Tirupattur assembly constituency in Sivaganga district as a DMK candidate while Srinivasa Sethupathi contested on behalf of TVK.

While Sethupathi secured 83,365 votes, Periyakaruppan secured 83,364 votes. Srinivasa Sethupathi was declared elected by a margin of just one vote.

In his petition, Periyakaruppan sought a recount of votes and also an interim order to restrain Sethupathi from taking oath as an MLA.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian has said the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' (invocation) must be accorded the foremost position in the protocol of government ceremonies.

The statement came after the order of songs at the ceremony in which Joseph C Vijay took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu placed 'Vande Mataram' first, followed by the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', and the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' third.

"During the ceremony, the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' was placed third, while 'Vande Mataram' and the national anthem were given the first and second positions, respectively," he said, adding that government ceremonies in Tamil Nadu traditionally begin with the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' and end with the national anthem.

Veerapandian alleged that it had been established during the freedom struggle itself that 'Vande Mataram' could not serve as the national anthem because the song is dedicated to a specific deity and possesses a sectarian religious character.

"In this context, the decision, allegedly taken under the directives of Lok Bhavan, to accord the primary position to 'Vande Mataram' while placing the Tamil invocation third in the agenda of the swearing-in ceremony organised by the Tamil Nadu government constitutes a violation of established tradition," he alleged.

"The Tamil Nadu government must provide a public explanation identifying those responsible for this error,” he said, adding that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, as a participant in the ceremony, must ensure that the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' is restored to its rightful place and that such an error is not repeated.

Jubilant fans of actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay on Sunday celebrated his swearing-in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu with drum beats, dances, fireworks and distribution of sweets in Kerala's Palakkad district.

Braving the scorching heat, large numbers of supporters gathered at various places in the district to mark what many described as a "historic political moment".

Fans danced to songs featuring Vijay, waved the whistle symbol of his party, TVK, and raised slogans hailing him as “Thalapathi Vijay”.

Several supporters were seen wearing T-shirts carrying Vijay's photographs, while a young fan danced on the road waving a party-coloured shawl.

"Tamil Nadu is going to script history," an excited supporter said amid the celebrations.

Another fan, overwhelmed with emotion, said Vijay had built not merely a fan base but an "empire".

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has resigned from the Trichy East (Tiruchirappalli East) constituency after winning both seats he contested in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He will retain the Perambur seat and continue as the MLA from there.

A section of MLAs from the AIADMK, led by CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani, has reportedly decided to support the vote of confidence in favour of Vijay’s government during the floor test scheduled to take place on May 13.

In his maiden address after taking over as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay said a new era of a regime committed to “real secularism and social justice” has commenced now.

He asserted that there will not be any power centres other than him and emphasised that he will be the only centre of power, in an apparent dig at the previous DMK, AIADMK regimes.

Soon after taking over, Vijay signed three files to implement poll-time promises, including 200 units of free power to domestic consumers and creating a special force for women’s safety.

In his address, Vijay said he will not deceive people with false promises. A fresh, new governance has started and a new era of real, secular, social justice starts now, he added.

The newly inducted ministers in Vijay’s Cabinet have signalled a radical departure from traditional governance, promising a “white paper” audit of all state departments and a “zero-interference” policy in administration.

Minister Aadhav Arjuna emphasised that the new administration would be anchored in transparency, secularism, and social justice. “Our leader and all ministers will provide a transparent government. We will work for all minority brothers and sisters and prioritise development,” he stated.

When questioned about the transition from the previous DMK-led government, Arjuna alleged that the “experience” of the outgoing regime was largely defined by “corruption”, which TVK intends to replace with a development-focused ministry.

Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar outlined the government’s immediate roadmap, confirming that the chief minister has directed a comprehensive audit of every department. The findings will be released to the public as a “white paper” to expose the current state of affairs and fiscal health of the ministries.

“We will do a complete audit... what is there, what is not there, and what needs to be prioritised,” Kumar told PTI Videos.

He alleged that departments had been "looted" over several decades and argued that a clear public report is necessary before the new government can effectively restructure the state's shattered finances.

Addressing the state's massive debt — estimated to exceed Rs 10 lakh crore — Kumar asserted that “honest administration” would be the primary tool to resolve the crisis.

The Cabinet, described by observers as a blend of youth and experience, has adopted a servant-leadership rhetoric. “Our intentions are pure. You will see a difference in how TVK governs — clean, transparent, and corruption-free,” minister Arunraaj told PTI Videos.

Minister Rajmohan focused on administrative reform, highlighting a "zero-interference" model. He stressed that transparency must begin at the grassroots, from police stations and panchayats to the ministerial level.

"We need to listen more than we talk," Rajmohan told PTI Videos. "We have come with a clear plan and proper 'homework' to provide a solution-oriented government under our chief minister’s leadership."

Actor R Madhavan shared a picture of the actor on his Instagram handle and said he is proud of Vijay. "All the very very best my Dear Brother. May your tenure as the Chief Minister be the most rewarding and impactful r for our State. May you have the strength you need to do all the good you need to do. So proud of you brother," read the text on the picture.

"Sooooo Proud of you," he wrote in the caption.

Pooja Hegde also shared a picture of the actor on her Instagram story and wrote, " @actorvijay... or as it should now say Chief Ministrer (sic) Vijay. Sir," she wrote.