Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Promises White Paper On State's Financial Situation

Chennai: Heralding the biggest change in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape since 1967, actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam funder C Joseph Vijay on Sunday assumed charge as the first non-Dravidian party Chief Minister. Since the DMK dislodged the Congress from governance in 1967, becoming the first regional party in the country to capture power, the State had witnessed its Government being steered only by the DMK or its offshoot AIADMK. 

The 51-year-old is also the first Christian to rise to the top post in Tamil Nadu.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijay and nine of his Cabinet colleagues, of whom eight including a woman, were like him, first time legislators. Only K A Sengottaiyan, an AIADMK veteran, who had joined the party last year, has experience as legislator and minister. Two other Cabinet Ministers – Aadhav Arjuna and C T Nirmalkumar - were political turncoats. 

No nominee of the Congress, the new found ally of the TVK, was sworn in on the occasion, the reasons for which remained immediately unclear. Congress leader and Leader of Opposition, who flew down from New Delhi, was seated next to Vijay on the dais along with the Minister-designates. 

Dressed in a black blazer, white shirt and black trousers – distinct from his trademark beige trousers - Vijay took the oath of office in a cinematic fashion but with a powerful memorised delivery and action.  

Soon after the oath taking ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Vijay chose to address the gathering, seeking to present himself as the child of an ordinary assistant director who struggled in cinema with the dream of somehow succeeding, who knew very well what poverty means in life. 

“I know very well what hunger means. I did not come from some royal lineage. I am just like you. Like one among you. Like someone in your family. Like your child. Like your son. Like your elder brother. Like your younger brother. That is how I feel. And because you thought of me that way, you gave me such a great place in cinema. Now, leaving all that behind, I came into politics to repay my debt of gratitude to you. And you accepted this Vijay — saying, “Come, Vijay, we are all here for you. We will take care of things,” he said. 

Assuring he would deceive people with false promises, he said the outgoing Government had left behind a debt burden of over Rs 10 lakh crore. “The treasury has been completely emptied and scraped clean. They have placed a burden that cannot even be lifted. It is in such a condition that we have taken up this responsibility,” he said promising to release a white paper soon. 

“As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, if I need to meet someone, I will not cover my face and meet them secretly or indirectly without your knowledge. Whatever I do, I will do openly and transparently, without secrecy.....I will ensure strict safety for women. From today itself, I will take the necessary steps and efforts to control the drug culture. It is the responsibility of our government to protect our children from it. Likewise, I will ensure law and order and safety for everyone,” he said. 

Education, ration supplies, healthcare, drinking water, roads, and bus facilities would be his priorities. 

“As I said before, I will not touch even a single paisa of public money. I do not need it. You know that very well. This Vijay will not do wrong, and he will not allow wrongdoing — no matter who it is. Even those who are with me in my government will not be spared. If anyone has the thought that ‘we have won, now let us play our game,’ erase that thought right now, this very minute. There will be only one centre— the centre created under my leadership. No separate power centres here and there. I am saying this clearly right now,” he declared. 

Vijay assured he belongs equally to Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.