Tamil Nadu CM oath ceremony LIVE: PM Modi speaks to Vijay, congratulates him on taking oath as TN CM

TAmil Nadu CM swearing observance unrecorded: After foursome years of intense political uncertainty, the state finally has clarity on government formation. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay on Sunday took oath as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, marking the arrival of a new government in the state.He made history as the first chief minister of the state since 1967 who does not come from either of the two Dravidian majors (DMK or AIADMK).Among those present at the swearing-in ceremony were Rahul Gandhi, Vijay’s parents SA Chandrasekhar and Shoba Chandrasekhar, and several personalities from the Tamil film industry, including Trisha Krishnan, who attended the event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.Which parties have supported TVKVijay now enjoys the backing of 120 MLAs, comfortably above the 118-seat majority threshold.Key support came on Saturday from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), both of which extended “unconditional support” with two MLAs each.Earlier, backing from the Indian National Congress (five), Communist Party of India (two) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (two) helped push TVK past the majority mark.While VCK, IUML, CPI, CPI (M), have supported TVK, they have chosen not to formally join the alliance.Governor’s formal communicationTamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar extended the invitation on Saturday after Vijay submitted letters of support from several parties that helped TVK cross the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly.Lok Bhavan issued a statement detailing the formalities that led to the invitation.“Thiru C Joseph Vijay, called on the Governor of Tamil Nadu today at Lok Bhavan and submitted a letter informing about his election as the leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Legislature party,” Lok Bhavan said in a statement.The Governor also laid out the immediate constitutional steps that follow.“The Governor has directed the Chief Minister-designate to seek the vote of confidence of the Assembly on or before May 13, 2026. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Nehru Stadium, Chennai, on May 10, 2026, at 10am,” added the statement.The oath ceremony will be held at Nehru Stadium.Four days of political back-and-forthSaturday marked Vijay’s fourth meeting with Governor Arlekar in as many days.Earlier meetings did not result in an invitation, with the Governor reportedly unconvinced about the numbers. The breakthrough came only after Vijay returned with consolidated letters of support from multiple parties.He was accompanied to Lok Bhavan by senior TVK leaders, including KA Sengottaiyan and Aadhav Arjuna.The political equation shifted sharply this week after the Congress broke its long-standing alliance with the DMK and extended support to TVK.The 51-year-old leader also spent the last several days engaging with different parties to secure backing, ultimately building a cross-party bloc large enough to form government.What happens nextWith the invitation now formally extended, Vijay is set to take the oath as Chief Minister on Sunday morning. The next key step will be the trust vote in the Assembly, which must be completed by May 13, 2026, as directed by the Governor.