Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Takes Oath as MLA in First Session of New Assembly

Chennai, May 2026 : A day after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder C. Joseph Vijay on Monday formally took oath as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) during the inaugural session of the newly constituted 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.

The oath-taking ceremony for all newly elected legislators was conducted in the Assembly Hall under the supervision of Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah, who administered the oath to the members and officially commenced the proceedings of the new House following the recently concluded Assembly elections.

Chief Minister Vijay, who took oath as Chief Minister on Sunday invoking “Andavan Meedhu Aanaiyaga” (in the name of God), adopted a constitutional affirmation while taking oath as an MLA. He declared, “Ulamara Urudhi Koorugiren” (I solemnly affirm with sincerity), drawing attention to the distinction between the two ceremonies.

Vijay was sworn in as the MLA representing the Perambur Assembly constituency, which he chose to retain after emerging victorious from both Perambur and Trichy East in the Assembly elections. Following his decision to continue from Perambur, he resigned from the Trichy East seat, paving the way for a by-election in the constituency.

The actor-turned-politician, who led TVK into its maiden Assembly election, created political history by steering the party to emerge as the single largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. Though the party fell short of the majority mark on its own, it later formed the government with the support of alliance partners.

Soon after Vijay took oath, senior TVK leader N. Anand was sworn in as the MLA from T Nagar constituency, while party leader Aadhav Arjuna took oath as the legislator from Villivakkam.

The Assembly witnessed enthusiastic scenes as newly elected MLAs entered the House for the first time after the dramatic political developments that reshaped Tamil Nadu’s electoral landscape. Members exchanged greetings and congratulations, while TVK legislators celebrated the party’s historic rise to power.

Addressing the House during the proceedings, Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah congratulated the newly elected legislators and reminded them of their responsibility towards the people.

He said the new leadership had overcome several political and electoral challenges to win the trust and mandate of the public.

“The people have elected us to serve them. Every elected representative must realise the importance of this responsibility and work sincerely for the welfare of the public,” he stated.

Karuppiah also urged the new government and legislators to uphold the ideals of social justice, rationalism and inclusive governance while drawing inspiration from iconic Tamil leaders such as Periyar, K. Kamaraj, Velu Nachiyar and freedom fighter Anjalai Ammal.

The first session of the Assembly is expected to continue with the election of the Speaker and other procedural formalities in the coming days as the Vijay-led government begins its first term in office.