Vijay skips Kerala CM swearing-in amid security, crowd management concerns

UPDATED: May 18, 2026 10:10 IST

Newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay will not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Kerala chief minister-designate VD Satheesan on Monday, with sources citing a mix of administrative commitments and security concerns behind the decision.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which stormed back to power in Kerala after a decade in opposition, is set to take oath at a high-profile ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram in the presence of senior Congress leaders, chief ministers and alliance leaders from across the country.

While initial indications suggested Vijay had been invited to the event alongside the chief ministers of Karnataka and Telangana, sources said there were ultimately no plans for the Tamil Nadu chief minister to travel to Kerala.

Officials reportedly assessed that Vijay’s massive popularity could trigger unprecedented crowd surges and complicate security arrangements at an event already expected to witness heavy public turnout and the presence of multiple VIPs.

According to sources, law enforcement agencies were concerned that the actor-turned-politician’s arrival could create crowd management challenges and potentially overshadow the official proceedings.

Vijay’s previous visits to Kerala have drawn enormous crowds, often leading to traffic disruptions and logistical pressure on local authorities.

SHASHI THAROOR TO MISS CEREMONY

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will also skip the swearing-in ceremony, though for different reasons. In a post on X, Tharoor said he was in the United States to deliver the commencement address at the graduation ceremony of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, his alma mater, and to attend the 50th anniversary reunion of his graduating class.

“I’m sorry to be missing the swearing-in ceremony of my Congress colleague and new CM of Kerala VD Satheesan,” Tharoor wrote.

He added that it was “an occasion for celebrating the past in the US even as I look forward to the future in Kerala.”

Tharoor’s absence has drawn attention amid his known differences with sections of the Congress leadership in the state.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM TURNS INTO ‘SEA OF WHITE’

Meanwhile, Kerala’s capital city witnessed massive crowds ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, with thousands of UDF workers and supporters pouring into Thiruvananthapuram from across the state.

The Central Stadium venue was packed with Congress workers and alliance supporters dressed largely in white khadi shirts and mundu, waving flags and raising slogans in support of the UDF government.

Several supporters, including women and children, were seen braving humid weather conditions to witness the return of the Congress-led alliance to power after 10 years of Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule.

Many who could not enter the packed venue gathered outside the stadium, dancing to drum beats and celebrating the alliance’s emphatic electoral victory.

“When a UDF government comes back to power after 10 years, it will energise every Congress worker,” several supporters told reporters.

Since early morning, newly elected MLAs, MPs and senior alliance leaders were seen arriving at the venue one after another.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are among those attendING the ceremony.

TIGHT SECURITY, TRAFFIC CURBS IN PLACE

Authorities have imposed extensive security and traffic arrangements across Thiruvananthapuram in view of the high-profile event.

Traffic and parking restrictions remain in force across parts of the city from 7 am to 4 pm as thousands of supporters and several VIPs arrive for the ceremony.

The elections to Kerala’s 140-member Assembly were held on April 9, with results declared on May 4. The Congress-led UDF secured a landslide victory with 102 seats, while the LDF won 35 seats and the BJP managed three.

The newly elected MLAs are scheduled to take oath on May 21, followed by the election of the Assembly Speaker on May 22. Governor’s policy address is slated for May 29, while the state budget is expected to be presented by June 5.

- Ends