Can TN's new actor-CM Vijay turn euphoria into governance? | AI With Sanket

Tamil Nadu’s new Chief Minister Vijay may have delivered an electrifying swearing-in speech before euphoric supporters, but political observers believe the real battle begins now.

With a fragile majority of 121 — only three above the halfway mark — and outside support from multiple parties, the TVK government faces immediate tests of survival, governance, and political management.

In this episode of AI With Sanket, S Srinivasan, editor-in-chief of The Federal, and senior journalist R Rangarajan discuss Vijay’s dramatic rise, the unprecedented political shift in Tamil Nadu, and the challenges awaiting the first non-DMK, non-AIADMK Chief Minister in nearly six decades.

Euphoria everywhere

Srinivasan described scenes of celebration across Chennai as people gathered on street corners and watched the swearing-in ceremony on mobile phones.

“People sitting on motorcycles, children, women, men — everybody was tuned into his speech,” he said, comparing the atmosphere to a cricket match in India. He noted that the swearing-in at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium resembled a film audio launch more than a conventional state ceremony. According to him, Vijay appeared completely at ease in the environment, having spent decades addressing massive crowds as a film star.

Also read: In first speech as CM, Vijay promises to address drug abuse, women's safety

The discussion also highlighted how Vijay’s oath-taking itself carried dramatic elements, including gestures and theatrical flourishes uncommon in formal constitutional ceremonies. However, the panel stressed that the spectacle was only one part of the story. The more important question, they argued, is whether Vijay can transition from cinema charisma to governance.

Thin majority

The panel repeatedly underlined the fragility of Vijay’s government. Srinivasan pointed out that while Congress joined the coalition government, parties like the CPI, CPM, VCK and IUML have only extended outside support and are not part of the Cabinet.

“That makes things very fragile,” he said, warning that disagreements on policy decisions could quickly trigger tensions within the support structure.

He also recalled the political bitterness that followed Congress abandoning the DMK to support TVK. According to him, the DMK leadership viewed the move as a betrayal, and signs of anger became visible even in Parliament with demands for separate seating arrangements.

The panel noted that DMK president M K Stalin had publicly welcomed Vijay while simultaneously warning that his party would closely monitor the government. Srinivasan described Vijay’s current position as being “on a razor’s edge”, saying pressure could emerge from allies, the Opposition, the Governor’s office, and even within the administration itself.

Populist start

The panelists observed that Vijay attempted to “hit the ground running” immediately after taking office. In his first announcements, Vijay promised free electricity benefits, enhanced women’s safety measures, and stronger anti-drug initiatives.

Srinivasan said the women’s safety announcement was politically significant because the issue had become a major campaign talking point during the election. He added that despite Tamil Nadu being considered relatively safe for women compared to many states, episodic incidents had generated public concern. The anti-drug promise, he argued, directly targeted growing anxieties in rural Tamil Nadu.

Also read: Understanding the Vijay phenomenon in Tamil Nadu politics

According to Srinivasan, these decisions reflected an understanding of the electorate’s mood and showed Vijay trying to quickly establish a connection with ordinary households. The panel compared the situation to Arvind Kejriwal’s initial rise in Delhi politics, where early populist measures helped create public sympathy during a politically unstable period.

Dravidian template

A key theme of the discussion was whether Vijay represents a break from traditional Dravidian politics or merely a continuation of it. Srinivasan argued that Tamil Nadu’s political culture operates within a fixed “Dravidian template” built around social welfare, social justice, communal harmony, education, and Tamil identity.

According to him, Vijay has carefully adopted all these elements. He pointed out that Vijay prominently displayed icons such as Periyar, B R Ambedkar, C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran and K Kamaraj in his political imagery. At the same time, Srinivasan said Vijay attempted to widen representation by giving prominence to Dalits, minorities and communities traditionally less visible in Dravidian politics.

But he argued that what truly distinguishes Vijay is not ideology but aspiration. Tamil Nadu’s voters, he said, increasingly compare themselves not with poorer Indian states but with countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. According to him, people expect cleaner governance, reduced corruption and a higher quality of life.

The inexperience challenge

Despite the enthusiasm around Vijay, both panellists repeatedly raised concerns about inexperience. Srinivasan cited examples from the government formation process, including alleged procedural mistakes in communication with political parties and the Governor’s office.

He also pointed to symbolic controversies during the swearing-in ceremony, such as the sequence in which “Vande Mataram”, the national anthem, and the Tamil anthem were played.

According to him, future confrontations between the Tamil Nadu government and Raj Bhavan could become politically sensitive, especially if disputes similar to those witnessed during the DMK government re-emerge. The panel also debated how Vijay would position himself in relation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led Centre.

Also read: LIVE! 'C Joseph Vijay enum naan'... Vijay takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM

Questions were raised over whether Vijay would adopt the confrontational federal politics practiced by the DMK or pursue a more cooperative relationship with Delhi to secure administrative support.

Political earthquake

Senior journalist Rangarajan described the election outcome as a political earthquake in Tamil Nadu. “For the first time, the DMK and AIADMK are both off-screen,” he said. He argued that Vijay had shattered assumptions that a newcomer without a strong political organisation or ideological structure could not succeed in Tamil Nadu politics.

According to Rangarajan, even the media underestimated the scale of the support behind Vijay. He said Vijay managed to connect with a remarkably broad coalition of voters, including daily wage labourers, auto drivers, fishermen, IT professionals and middle-class families.

Rangarajan argued that many voters were drawn less by ideology and more by emotional identification. “He says, ‘I am one among you,’” Rangarajan observed. However, he also warned that expectations from Vijay are extraordinarily high and could become his biggest weakness if governance fails to deliver results quickly.

Governance test

The panel concluded that Vijay’s biggest challenge would be surviving the transition from outsider to establishment leader.

While public sympathy currently appears to be firmly with him, the discussion suggested that Tamil Nadu politics could soon become far more unforgiving.

From managing allies and bureaucrats to navigating the Governor’s office and responding to rising expectations, Vijay now enters what panellists described as the toughest phase of his political journey.

For now, Tamil Nadu appears willing to give its newest Chief Minister a chance. But whether the euphoria of the swearing-in can be converted into stable governance remains the defining question.

The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.