A new political chapter begins in Tamil Nadu on Monday as the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly meets for its first session, marking the formal start of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s tenure after his historic electoral victory. The first sitting of the Assembly began at 9.30 AM at the Legislative Assembly Chamber in Chennai’s Secretariat complex, where newly elected MLAs took their oaths. The election for Speaker and Deputy Speaker is scheduled for May 12, while the crucial floor test for the new government will take place on May 13.

All eyes are now on Vijay as he prepares to prove his majority in the House after his party TVK scripted one of the biggest political upsets in Tamil Nadu’s recent history.

Ahead of the session, TVK MLA MV Karuppaiah was sworn in as the Pro Tem Speaker by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in the presence of the Chief Minister. Karuppaiah, elected from Sholavandan, administered the oath to newly-elected MLAs.

The Assembly session comes just a day after Vijay officially assumed office as Tamil Nadu’s 13th Chief Minister following TVK’s massive debut performance in the 2026 Assembly elections. The actor-turned-politician took charge at the Secretariat in Fort St George shortly after the swearing-in ceremony at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where Governor Arlekar administered the oath to Vijay and his nine-member cabinet.

TVK’s victory marked a dramatic shift in Tamil Nadu politics, ending the decades-long Dravidian dominance under the DMK and the AIADMK. Popularly known as 'Thalapathy', Vijay's political rise has already drawn comparisons with former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran.

Soon after taking office, Vijay paid tribute to social reformer EV Ramasamy at Periyar Thidal and met Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani.

In his first speech as Chief Minister, Vijay thanked voters and promised a transformative phase for the state. "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 secular, social justice," he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with leaders from Congress, CPI, CPI(M) and VCK, attended the swearing-in ceremony after extending support to TVK during the election.

Diana George is Associate Editor at Times Now, with over a decade of experience covering national and international news, crime, and local politics. S...View More

Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now