Politician Vijay is more powerful than actor Vijay, and the combination of charisma and ideology is what transformed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) into a political force, said Dr. K.G. Arunraj, Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare in the TVK government.

Speaking at The Hindu Huddle 2026 during a session titled “New Mandate for Change – A Gen Z Aspiration Story”, Dr. Arunraj reflected on TVK’s sweeping victory in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the party’s strategy, its ideological foundation and its future course.

Beginning the discussion, Dr. Arunraj spoke about his connection with The Hindu, dating back to his UPSC preparation days.

“Ask any civil services aspirant and one of the first things they will hear is -- Read The Hindu. I started my civil services preparation years ago when I was posted as a medical officer in a remote village in Krishnagiri. Back then, while preparing for the UPSC, I used to get The Hindu from Hosur because it was not available in Krishnagiri,” he said.

Also read: The Hindu Huddle’s live updates from Day 2

Less and more obvious reasons

Turning to TVK’s electoral success, he said there were both obvious and less obvious reasons behind the party’s rise.

“This electoral success, this strong foundation was laid when the party grew from a budding outfit into a primary force in Tamil Nadu. It was not a fluke. It was the courage of our political leader,” he said. “The success rested on two pillars -- the charismatic leadership of our leader, Vijay and TVK’s ideological grounding,” he said.

“Tamil Nadu has been ruled by two well-established parties for the last 60 years, and then a fresher takes on both parties and unseats them. Vijay took the bold step of entering politics. TVK is beyond a fan base,” Dr. Arunraj said.

The people of Tamil Nadu, he said had been waiting for “a truly universal leader” and that TVK’s internal assessments had consistently indicated strong support for Vijay, particularly in urban areas.

Best mandate

“The people of Tamil Nadu, with their infinite wisdom, have given this for a reason,” he said.

He argued that the defeat of the DMK was significant not only because it lost power but also because it lost the support of its allies. “This is a truly secular alliance, an ideological alliance. DMK has never ever won an election without its allies. So this mandate, even if it is one seat short of a majority, is the best mandate we can imagine,” he said.

Understanding with BJP

Addressing allegations that TVK had an understanding with the BJP, Dr Arunraj said, “Even in the very first conference, our leader had stated that DMK is our political rival and BJP is our ideological rival,” he said.

No party, to my memory, has boldly taken on both the ruling government in the state and also the Union government. I would only laugh when people say even now that we have an understanding with BJP, he added.

GenZ and beyond

On the role played by young voters, Dr Arunraj said Gen Z supporters had been at the forefront of TVK’s campaign, but the party’s success could not be attributed solely to a youth movement. “It was a family revolution. People of Tamil Nadu worked in families with TVK. Not just Gen Z, our leader was emotionally connected to each family,” he said, adding that TVK’s social media presence was largely organic and decentralised.

He further added that TVK’s success was built on years of grassroots work. “We also had a strong grassroots connection by way of 30 years of work at the ground level by Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. We didn’t start from zero. We had a strong base,” he said.

“There was a strategy in everything we did. There was a strategy in the choice of the party name. There was a strategy in the design of the flag. There was a strategy in the very basic tenet of our party.” he said. When the BJP said there should be no “Kazhagam,” we included it in our party’s name itself - Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), he added.

Karur Stampede

Responding to questions about the tragic events in Karur, where lives were lost during a TVK rally, Dr Arunraj said the case is with the CBI and report is yet to come. But the incident had shattered Vijay, he said.

“They are not just voters, they are part of his family. What happened in Karur really shattered, broke him. Our leader wanted to return to Karur and meet affected families but was advised against it because of security concerns,” the minister said.

Asked to define the “change” promised by TVK, Dr Arunraj said there was both continuity and change. If you compare the ideologies of DMK and TVK, there wouldn’t be any great difference. But the ability and capacity to adhere to the stated principles and ideology is the key difference, he said, accusing the DMK of failing to live up to its own ideological commitments under Stalin’s tenure.

On the government’s distinctive style, including Chief Minister Vijay wearing a suit in the Assembly, Dr Arunraj said performance mattered more than appearance. “This is a refreshing change. That’s what many people say. Ultimately, our performance matters, not the looks,” he added.

On relations with the Union government, Dr Arunraj said “There is a phrase - double-engine sarkar, but we believe that concept is antithetical to the spirit of federalism. Every State is, in a sense, a double-engine government because India functions under a federal constitutional framework. We can work with the Union government despite differences, while firmly safeguarding the interests of the State,” he said.

The Hindu Huddle is presented by the Sami-Sabinsa Group as the Presenting Partner. The event is co-powered by the Government of Telangana and held in association with Khaja Bandanawaz University.

The event is further supported by Bank of Baroda, Larsen & Toubro, Apollo Hospitals, IIM Sirmaur, ICFAI Group, TAFE, Wizzmon, Uttarakhand Government, Associate Partners; Casagrand, Realty Partner; Toyota, Luxury Car Partner; Amity University Bengaluru, University Partner; Harrow International School Bengaluru, Education Partner; Meghalaya Tourism, State Partner; and NDTV 24x7, TV Partner.

Watch the full session here: