Chennai, 10 May (H.S.):Hours after taking charge as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday unveiled two major initiatives — 200 units of free electricity for households and the formation of a “SingaPen” Special Task Force aimed at strengthening women’s safety and welfare in the state.

The announcements were made immediately after Vijay assumed office following a high-profile swearing-in ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. In his first official act as Chief Minister, Vijay signed important government files in the presence of senior officials and newly inducted ministers, indicating a swift start to the new administration’s welfare-oriented agenda.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay, who took oath in the name of “C. Joseph Vijay” amid thunderous applause from thousands of supporters, party workers, and film fans who gathered at the venue from across Tamil Nadu.

The ceremony marked a dramatic shift in Tamil Nadu politics, with Vijay becoming the first leader in decades to break the long-standing dominance of the state’s two major Dravidian parties — the DMK and the AIADMK. His ascent to power followed the TVK’s strong electoral performance in the recently concluded Assembly elections, where the party emerged as the single largest formation by securing 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly.

Though the party fell short of the majority mark of 118, the TVK secured the support of the Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), taking the alliance strength to 120 MLAs and paving the way for government formation.

Along with Vijay, nine ministers were sworn into the new cabinet. They include Anand, Aadhav, Arunraj, Sengottaiyan, Venkataramanan, Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, T.K. Prabhu and Keerthana.

The event witnessed unprecedented security arrangements, with nearly 6,000 invitees allowed entry through special passes. Chennai Police deployed a massive security network under the supervision of the city Police Commissioner, assisted by five Additional Commissioners and 12 Joint Commissioners.

Several prominent political leaders and film personalities attended the ceremony, including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alliance leaders, Vijay’s family members, and leading figures from the Tamil film industry.

With the announcement of welfare measures on day one itself, the Vijay-led government signalled its intention to combine populist governance with a new political narrative in Tamil Nadu.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman