WITH the declaration that a “new era of secular social justice starts now,” movie star C Joseph Vijay has taken over the governance of Tamil Nadu, which was long wedded to Dravidian politics. The 51-year-old Vijay with a youthful face had launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, a party ‘for the victory of Tamils’, two years ago and sought to build a casteless welfare society without discrimination and corruption. “All are equal by birth and it should remain so,” he had declared. Based on this, swarms of people seeking a change declared him as the “dalapati” and eventually uplifted his party to pole position. The party could not gain a majority of the seats in the assembly, but a string of small parties including the Congress offered their support. The huge turnout at his campaign rallies had given sufficient hints as to the outcome of the polls.
Both Dravidian parties that alternately ran Tamil Nadu for six decades since 1967 have been shown the door: the DMK got 59 seats and the AIADMK got 47 seats against 108 seats for the TVK. The BJP, which tried to highlight Vijay’s Christian links, ended up with just one seat, despite its long-held aspirations to break the Dravidian mould of politics and establish itself in Tamil Nadu. The Congress party rose to the occasion. Though it has only five seats, it offered support to TVK and will form part of the government. The two Communist parties, which got two seats each through its alliance with the DMK have also backed the new party to form the government. In politics, old moulds must change.
Governor Rajendra Arlekkar was right to initially refuse to entertain Vijay’s claim to form the government though TVK has emerged as the single largest party. In the confused scenario of a hung assembly, the governor asked Vijay to show him proof of support. Once this was done, he cleared the way for Vijay’s swearing-in as chief minister along with a team of nine ministers. Now, the CM must prove his majority in the legislature. Reports are that the DMK, tasting an unexpected defeat at the hustings, might abduct some newly elected MLAs from the small parties that have promised support to TVK, with a view to defeating the Confidence Vote. It’s high suspense now. DMK’s MK Stalin, who ruled the state for five years in imperious ways and kept his son as the second-in-command in the party and government, has received a virtual slap on the face from the disgruntled electorate. Vijay’s electoral success is principally due to his promise to root out corruption in government and public life, which the DMK and AIADMK majorly encouraged. He represents the voice of sanity and a refreshingly new era in Tamil Nadu politics. Vijay has promised that he would not take a single pie from the government through corrupt means; he also warned everyone on his side that he would not allow them to be corrupt either. As of now this represents a refreshing change. The challenge is to remain true to this ideology.
