New Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Meets Predecessor MK Stalin in Post-Oath Courtesy Call

Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay met his predecessor and DMK chief MK Stalin in Chennai on May 6, in a post-oath courtesy call marking the transfer of power after Vijay's electoral breakthrough. The meeting took place at Stalin's residence in Alwarpet, where both leaders exchanged greetings, with visuals showing Vijay folding his hands and Stalin reciprocating.

Vijay, who took oath on May 5, secured power with support from Congress and smaller parties after his party defeated both the DMK and AIADMK, ending their decades-long dominance. The election results, declared on May 4, triggered a brief period of uncertainty over government formation, with multiple alliance possibilities before Vijay consolidated the majority.

Stalin welcomed Vijay's initial announcements but cautioned against blaming the previous government for financial challenges. 'Don’t start saying right away that the government has no money. It does have it. What’s needed is the will to give it to the people, and the ability to govern,' Stalin said in a social media post. He defended the DMK government's fiscal management, citing welfare schemes delivered despite crises like the pandemic and natural disasters.

Vijay, in his inaugural address, described himself as a 'common man' and vowed to establish 'an era of real, secular, social justice.' He asserted that he would be the sole center of power in his administration and promised to release a white paper on the state's finances for transparency. He disclosed a net worth of Rs 624 crore in his election affidavit.

The court will resume hearing on Tuesday, and Vijay is expected to convene his first cabinet meeting within the week.