My brother Rahul Gandhi: Vijay's bonhomie with Congress leader at oath
The warmth between the two leaders, coming just days after the Congress ended its decades-old alliance with the DMK, could signal the emergence of a new political equation not just in Tamil Nadu, but possibly at the national level as well.
The swearing-in ceremony of C. Joseph Vijay as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister witnessed visible bonhomie between him and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The two leaders sat beside each other on the stage, chatted throughout the ceremony, and even clicked a selfie together.
However, it was Vijay referring to the Congress leader as his “brother” during his first speech as Chief Minister that emerged as one of the standout moments of the ceremony.
“I thank the Congress and its leader Mallikarjun Kharge, along with my brother Rahul Gandhi, for extending support to our government, which is committed to the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu,” Vijay said.
The Congress was the first party to publicly back Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam after it fell 10 seats short of a majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, where the halfway mark is 118.
The Congress, which has five MLAs in the Assembly, is expected to be part of the Vijay-led government. Other smaller allies, including the Left Front, VCK and IUML, are expected to only provide outside support. Currently, the TVK government has the support of 120 MLAs.
Vijay’s arrival in Tamil Nadu politics has the potential to reshape the state’s long-standing Dravidian political order. The warmth between the two leaders, coming just days after the Congress ended its decades-old alliance with the DMK, could signal the emergence of a new political equation not just in Tamil Nadu, but possibly at the national level as well.