Actor-Turned-Politician Sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

On Sunday, May 10, C. Vijay Joseph, a 51-year-old Tamil cinema star, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu. Vijay won the legislative elections on May 4 with his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). “Founded in February 2024, TVK, which has been around for just over two years, has undergone a dramatic transformation, winning an impressive number of seats [108 out of 234] in the Tamil Nadu Assembly right from its entry into politics,” as reported by The Hindu.

Vijay had harbored his political ambitions since 2009 when he launched the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (VMI), a fan organization with a social focus. In Tamil Nadu, fan clubs that come together to carry out charitable activities in the name of a star are a well-established tradition. “These actions range from distributing drinking water in public places to organizing blood drives and providing academic support to children.” The VMI went further than these traditional clubs, especially in assisting the population during cyclonic episodes.

Vijay Joseph finally made his official entry into politics on February 2, 2024, designating the DMK, a regional party previously in power in the state, as his political rival and the BJP of the nationalist Prime Minister.