TVK’s massive triumph

The fledgling political party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, has rewritten the political script of Tamil Nadu. In just two years since its inception, the party has shattered the entrenched dominance of the Dravidian majors by emerging as the single largest party in the State Assembly.

Defying the projections of most pollsters, TVK has registered a sweeping performance across regions, most notably in Chennai, where it decisively outclassed the DMK in nearly all constituencies. This extraordinary mandate reflects not merely Vijay’s charismatic appeal, but a deeper, simmering disenchantment among voters with decades of alternating rule by the Dravidian parties.

TVK’s win is a mandate for corruption-free government. It should also make the established parties introspect and reform.

M Jeyaram

Sholavandan (TN)

Vijay’s challenge

For the first time in the history of TN, both the DMK and AIADMK have been routed and people have mandated TVK to rule. Getting majority and winning in the first attempt is a reflection of the people’s disaffection against established parties and a yearning for change.

People have reposed huge confidence on TVK and its leader. The State currently lagging behind in many fields with huge financial debt burden. Progress on civic infra and health needs huge push. Vijay must be shrewd enough in positioning right people at right place in the ministerial set up. For Vijay real challenge of meeting the public’s expectation starts now.

RV Baskaran

Pune

Doubtful deal

Apropos ‘Costly Remedy’ (May 4). The Sun-Organon saga illuminates a troubling paradox in pharmaceutical commerce.

When a company’s patent portfolio deteriorates while regulatory scrutiny intensifies, desperation begets questionable strategy.

Sun-Organon’s pivot toward shifting revenue streams suggests institutional confusion about sustainable competitive positioning rather than genuine innovation.

The Trump administration’s concerns about intellectual property exploitation deserve serious examination. Yet the larger question persists: should market forces alone determine whether a struggling firm survives? Sun-Organon cannot simultaneously claim innovative legitimacy while relying on regulatory loopholes and geographic arbitrage.

Either the company possesses substantive scientific merit or it does not.

Ambiguity serves neither investors, consumers, nor the credibility of America’s pharmaceutical sector.

K Chidanand Kumar

Bengaluru

Published on May 4, 2026