Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay meets MK Stalin after assembly election victory

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Monday met his predecessor and DMK president M. K. Stalin at his residence in Chennai, marking their first meeting after the recent assembly election results.

The meeting at Stalin’s Alwarpet residence was described as a courtesy call following the high-stakes Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, in which Vijay’s party secured a major victory and he assumed office as Chief Minister.

Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin welcomed Vijay warmly upon his arrival. Udhayanidhi greeted the Chief Minister with a handshake and embrace, while Stalin also greeted him with a hug during the visit.

The leaders exchanged silk shawls and bouquets as a mark of mutual respect, according to visuals shared from the meeting.

The visit comes days after a closely fought election between the DMK and Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which resulted in a significant political shift in the state.

Vijay had taken oath as Chief Minister on Sunday at Chennai’s Nehru Stadium, after his party’s strong performance in the assembly polls. TVK reportedly secured 108 seats, forming the government with support from allied parties including the Congress, VCK, CPI and CPI(M).

The DMK, led by Stalin, won 59 seats, while the AIADMK secured 47 seats. The BJP managed to win a single seat in the election.

The new political equation marks a major shift in Tamil Nadu politics, breaking the long-standing DMK-AIADMK dominance in the state.