Vijay took charge as Tamil Nadu chief minister on Sunday with a welfare-heavy first order covering 200 units of free domestic power, a special anti-drug task force, and a women’s safety force backed by a dedicated helpline.The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam founder was sworn in at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, ending days of uncertainty after his party emerged as the single largest group in the 234-member Assembly. Vijay, whose rise from cinema to Fort St George has redrawn the state’s political map, opened his first address with the Tamil phrase “En Nenjil Kudiyirukkum”, a familiar greeting to supporters that means “who lives in my heart”.
His first administrative move signalled both continuity with Tamil Nadu’s welfare politics and a sharper focus on public safety. The free power decision raises the stakes in a state where electricity subsidies are already a core part of household relief. The anti-drug mechanism is expected to place district policing, intelligence gathering and prosecution support under closer coordination, while the women’s safety initiative will test whether the new administration can convert campaign pledges into visible street-level policing.
Vijay said education, health and water would remain at the centre of his government’s agenda, adding that farmers and fishermen would be protected. He also framed his mandate as a personal bond with voters, saying he understood poverty and hardship because he did not come from a royal family. His speech mixed populist reassurance with a warning to his own ranks, making clear that corruption or misuse of public funds would not be tolerated.
The new government rests on narrow but workable arithmetic. TVK won 108 seats, short of the 118 required for a majority. Support from the Congress, CPI, CPI, VCK and IUML took the tally backing Vijay to 120, allowing the Governor to invite him to form the government. The floor test, due before May 13, will be the first institutional test of the arrangement.
The May 4 verdict marked the sharpest break in Tamil Nadu politics since the late 1960s. TVK’s debut performance disrupted the long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK, while the DMK was reduced to 59 seats and the AIADMK to 47. The verdict reflected anti-incumbency, Vijay’s personal appeal, and a campaign that targeted younger voters, women and lower-income households with promises of welfare delivery and administrative discipline.
Vijay’s cabinet appeared calibrated to mix loyalists, organisers and symbolic picks. Nine ministers took oath alongside him, including Aadhav Arjuna, Bussy Anand, K A Sengottaiyan and S Keerthana, whose elevation gives the ministry a prominent young woman face. The cabinet’s early work will be watched for how it allocates portfolios, manages bureaucracy and reassures investors about policy continuity.
Economic management is likely to become the second big test after the floor vote. Vijay has accused the previous DMK administration of leaving the state with heavy debt and said his government would examine departmental finances before issuing white papers. M K Stalin has pushed back, arguing that Tamil Nadu’s debt remained within permissible limits. The clash underlines the fiscal tension behind the free-power order, particularly as subsidies already account for a large recurring budget commitment.
Tamil Nadu remains one of the country’s most important industrial engines, with deep clusters in automobiles, electronics, textiles, renewable energy and ports. Global and domestic companies have continued to invest in Chennai, Sriperumbudur, Hosur, Coimbatore and other hubs, but business groups will be watching whether the new administration preserves the state’s reputation for bureaucratic depth and infrastructure-led growth. Vijay has campaigned on advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, semiconductors and artificial intelligence.