Defection taint not vaporised by resignation, Supreme Court had said in a judgment

It appears that the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, has triggered a political upheaval in Tamil Nadu following the 2026 Assembly elections. In many ways, Mr. Vijay has demonstrated that a Chief Ministerial candidate need not necessarily hail from a numerically dominant community, backed by entrenched political networks to capture power in Tamil Nadu. Equally significant is the fact that he has become the first Christian Chief Minister to head a coalition government in the State’s history.

The ascent of the TVK to power in Tamil Nadu has posed a formidable challenge to the two principal Dravidian parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which have alternated in power in the State for more than half a century. Tamil Nadu politics appears to have evolved into a contest between the charisma and mass appeal of Mr. Vijay — carefully cultivated through cinema and popular culture — and the leaders of the two Dravidian majors, who continue to invoke and defend the Dravidian legacy whenever they perceive a political threat.

Also Read: Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam: a new political dawn in Tamil Nadu

Mr. Vijay heads a remarkably young government. Barring senior figures such as K. A. Sengottaiyan and N. Anand, most Ministers and MLAs are relatively young and possess little to no independent political capital. Moreover, the traditional white dhoti emblazoned with party colours on its border no longer defines the political culture of the TVK.