‘A new era of real, secular, social justice begins now’: TVK chairman Vijay’s maiden speech as Tamil Nadu chief minister

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday took office as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu and delivered his maiden speech, calling his government “a new beginning” and promising secular and socially just governance after a resounding victory in the assembly elections.“This is a new beginning. A new era of real, secular, social justice begins now,” Vijay said after taking oath at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Apart from Vijay, nine other ministers also took oath to join the cabinet. He claimed that there would be no center of power in the government other than him.Thanking the people for supporting his political journey, Vijay said, “You all asked me to enter politics and said ‘we are with you’ and today you made me the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Every pain and obstacle I encountered, you felt like it was your own and stood by my side throughout the entire journey. I am not God’s messenger. I’m just a normal person. But when people stand with me, I believe we can achieve anything and face every challenge together, no matter what.“ALSO READ | From KA Sengottaiyan to S Keerthana – What does Vijay’s Tamil Nadu cabinet look like?Positioning himself as an ordinary person, he added: “I am not from a family of princes. I am from you, like your family, like your brother. You embraced me with love and gave me a great place in the cinema.”Talking at length about the financial pressure his government is under, Vijay said: “As tens of millions of people stand with me, I have full confidence and belief in my heart that no matter what comes our way, we can face anything together. Today, I saw firsthand the situation faced by the Tamil Nadu government. The previous government had collapsed after borrowing over Rs 100 crore in debt. Before they left office, the treasury was completely emptied. It is in this context that we take responsibility. “The actor-turned-politician announced immediate action to combat drug abuse.“Starting today, I will begin taking strong steps to control drug abuse. Keeping our youth away from drugs is our responsibility. Likewise, I will ensure law and order and keep everyone safe. Even if someone insults me, whether they are friends or foes, all eighty million people remain my people.” My heart tells me that I must focus entirely on education, roads, drinking water facilities and other basic services. As I said before, I won’t touch a penny of the people’s money. “ALSO READ | PM Modi congratulates Vijay on taking oath as chief minister“After reviewing everything, I intend to release a white paper to the people. I want my government to be a transparent government. That is the first thing I want to do. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, if I need to meet someone, I will not do it secretly or behind closed doors. Whatever I do, I do it with openness and transparency. I ask everyone to give me some time. I will gradually fulfill everything I have promised and work hard to achieve it sincerely. This is your government. I will ensure strict safety for women. “Vijay said.The TVK chief also reiterated his anti-corruption stance, saying, “I assure the people of Tamil Nadu that I will never misuse even a single rupee of public funds. I am not in politics for wealth, and everyone knows that. I will never allow corruption, nor will I allow anyone to make money through corrupt practices. This government will belong to the people and together we will build a stronger and better Tamil Nadu.“Soon after taking the oath, Vijay signed his first set of official documents, including ordering 200 free electricity units, forming a task force to combat drugs and another task force to ensure women’s safety.In his speech, Vijay also thanked alliance party leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Selvaperunthagai, Praveen Chakravarthy, P Shanmugam, Su Venkatesan, Thol Thirumavalavan, Ravikumar, Vanniarasu and M Veerapandian. He also called Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi his brother.TVK’s victory marks a new chapter in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, ending decades of dominance by the DMK and AIADMK.