Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) cadres on Sunday erupted with joy as party chief C. Joseph Vijay assumed office as Chief Minister of the State.

Moments after Mr. Vijay took oath, they began bursting crackers across Tiruchi. Massive celebrations were reported near Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Thiruvanaikoil, Thennur, Thillai Nagar, Palakarai, Cantonment and other areas.

Carrying party flags, a large number of cadres began celebrations as they witnessed their leader’s oath-taking ceremony on television and mobile phones. They drove along the main thoroughfares, including Big Bazaar Street, Thillai Nagar main road, Shastri Road, West Boulevard Road, East Boulevard Road and raised slogans in praise of their leader’s historic electoral victory. The TVK songs that energised the cadre during electioneering could be heard at various places and the party revellers danced to their tune.

In some places, Congress members also joined them to express their happiness. They extended greetings to each other. At several places, the members of the public also joined them spontaneously and conveyed their wishes to Mr. Vijay and the new government.

“We feel ecstatic to see our leader taking charge as Chief Minister at St. George Fort, the seat of power. It is not only a proud moment for him but also to each and every one of us,” said T. Karikalan, a local TVK leader.

A section of people of Tiruchi were disappointed by Mr. Vijay’s resignation from Tiruchi East and retaining Perambur constituency. However, many of them felt that he would nurture Tiruchi East as much as Perambur.

“Though Tiruchi has received a number of infrastructure projects in the recent past, the city still lacks many aspects of development and infrastructure. We hope Mr. Vijay will accord top priority to Tiruchi and transform it into a well-developed city,” says Rajesh alias Srinivasan, member, Pradesh Congress Committee, and a resident of Srirangam.