In an interview with Manish Anand, former Tribune Editor and senior journalist KV Prasad offers a sweeping, incisive reading of Tamil Nadu’s seismic political shift
By TRH Op-Ed Desk
New Delhi, May 10, 2026 — The swearing-in of C. Joseph Vijay as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister on Sunday was not merely a change of guard at Fort St. George — it was, as veteran journalist KV Prasad told Manish Anand in an exclusive post-ceremony interview, “a very, very significant change in the politics of the state.” For almost six decades, Tamil Nadu’s government alternated between the DMK and the AIADMK in what Prasad called “revolving door politics.” That door, he suggests, has now been welded shut — at least for now.
The ‘Fatigue Factor’ and a Breath of Fresh Air
Prasad, who has covered Tamil Nadu politics closely over decades, attributed Vijay’s electoral breakthrough to what he described as a “fatigue factor” that had set in against Dravidian politics. “People were looking for a third alternative — not because of anything else, but because something new could be offered,” he said. In a state that ranks among India’s top performers on economic progress, human development indices, and general well-being, aspirations are correspondingly high. Vijay, Prasad argued, read those aspirations better than most seasoned politicians in the fray.
Crucially, Prasad pushed back against the characterisation of Vijay’s TVK as simply “non-Dravidian.” “He has not distanced himself from Dravidian politics per se — he talks of social justice, rationality, he invokes Anna and Periyar and progressive women leaders of Tamil Nadu,” Prasad noted. “He is building a middle path.” Vijay’s campaign positions — most notably his sustained opposition to the NEET examination — were carefully calibrated to resonate with the state’s educated, aspirational youth, Prasad said, pointing out that the new CM’s first speech even thanked his “cyber warriors,” the social media army that propelled him across Tamil Nadu’s digital landscape.
The Suit, The Message, The Meaning
One of the most discussed moments at the ceremony was sartorial: Vijay arrived in a dark blazer, white shirt and trousers, flanked by a cabinet that was almost uniformly dressed in shirts and pants — a stark departure from the white dhoti-and-shirt that has been the standard political uniform of Tamil Nadu’s leaders from Kamaraj to Karunanidhi to Stalin. Prasad read this as a deliberate and layered statement. “He is giving a message that he is progressive in his ideas,” he said. “He’s presenting a more cosmopolitan approach to his politics.” Importantly, Prasad noted, Vijay won large rural votes despite — or perhaps because of — this signal, suggesting his appeal transcends the urban-rural divide.
Sole Power Centre: A Dig, Not Just a Slogan
Vijay’s declaration in his inaugural address — that he will be the “sole power centre” in Tamil Nadu — was widely interpreted as a pointed reference to the shadow governance structures associated with the DMK and AIADMK regimes. Prasad agreed, but placed it in a broader ideological frame. “He kept saying throughout the campaign that BJP is his ideological adversary, and he was critical of the DMK’s governance model. So he is sending a message — without delay — that what he promised during the campaign is what he will carry forward,” Prasad said. With Tamil Nadu commanding 39 Lok Sabha seats, Vijay’s secularism-and-social-justice positioning also has unmistakable national implications.
The Selfie Moment: Coalition Acknowledgment in a Single Frame
The viral selfie that Vijay clicked with Rahul Gandhi on stage after the oath was, for Prasad, rich with political meaning. “He referred to Rahul Gandhi as ‘my brother’ in his speech,” Prasad pointed out. “Congress became the ballast when Vijay needed it most — breaking ties with DMK and throwing unconditional support to TVK at a critical juncture.” Reports of Vijay having once sought to join the Congress party some fifteen years ago, only to be redirected by Rahul Gandhi to build through the Youth Congress ranks, add a certain historical texture to the moment. “What you saw in that selfie speaks of realignment in national politics too,” said Prasad, who has extensively covered the South Indian politics for The Hindu.
Patient, Strategic, Long-Haul
Perhaps the most analytically significant part of Prasad’s assessment was his reading of Vijay’s character through the three-day standoff with Raj Bhavan, where Governor Rajendra Arlekar delayed the appointment. Vijay issued no public statement, made no aggressive moves, let Congress hold the protests. “He is in for the long haul,” Prasad said firmly. “He was not in a hurry to grab power. That shows how much his people trust him — and how much he trusts the long game.”
For Tamil Nadu — and perhaps for Indian politics — the game has only just begun.
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