Tamil Nadu Assembly: Vijay’s TVK secures Speaker, Deputy Speaker posts unopposed

Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has secured two of the most important constitutional posts in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after its MLA J C D Prabhakar was unanimously elected as Speaker during the first session of the newly formed House.

The election took place without opposition support, reflecting the numerical strength of the ruling alliance in the 234-member Assembly.

Prabhakar, who represents the Thousand Lights constituency and defeated Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate Ezhlian Naganathan in the 2026 elections, was formally nominated in the presence of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. Leaders from both TVK and opposition parties, including All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), acknowledged his election in a cordial manner inside the House.

On the same day, TVK MLA M Ravisankar was also unanimously elected as Deputy Speaker, further strengthening the ruling party’s control over Assembly proceedings. The absence of contest for both posts underlined the clear majority enjoyed by the TVK-led alliance, which includes support from Congress, Left parties and other allies.

The new Assembly session also marked the swearing-in of all elected MLAs, administered by pro tem Speaker MV Karuppaiah. Senior political leaders including Edappadi K Palaniswami, O Panneerselvam, and Udhayanidhi Stalin took oath alongside newly elected legislators.

Following his oath, Chief Minister Vijay reportedly signed initial government orders related to key election promises, including free electricity units and the formation of special task forces focused on drug-related crime and women’s safety. The TVK emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats, setting the stage for its first full legislative term in power.

Political observers view the smooth election of both Speaker and Deputy Speaker as a sign of stability for the new government, even as the opposition DMK and AIADMK navigate internal organisational and leadership challenges.