For years, I’ve followed Tamil Nadu’s political transformation process. The victory on May 4, 2026, goes beyond an electoral triumph; it’s ideological vindication. Having actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in the lead with 100+ seats is not because of his celebrity status. Rather, it is because of realizing something that all successful politicians of Tamil Nadu have realized since 1967 – compromise is death, especially on the issue of Tamils.
This brings me to what those in Delhi choose to ignore.
By labeling the BJP his ideological rival when declaring a massive rally of over eight hundred thousand people during the Vikravandi event in October 2024, people thought that Vijay was only speaking rhetorically. However, he was laying the ideological ground as clearly as those who have defined Tamil politics for over seventy-five years.
His refusal of BJP’s offer of ninety seats and Chief Minister position was not any kind of political mistake, it was his political ideology which he adheres to without compromises. In Tamil Nadu, being associated with saffron party means political suicide. Talk to AIADMK chief Palaniswami who has allied with BJP and has only brought disgrace to himself, if anything else.
In TVK’s manifesto, you can clearly understand how to attract Tamilians politically. Supporting the dual language policy which is Tamil and English and opposing Hindi. Demand to restore the field of education from the concurrent list to state list to put an end to NEET’s rule that killed Tamilian students. The immense grief over losing young talent to academic and professional pressure isn’t isolated to Tamil Nadu, as seen in how a recent young doctor’s death sparked nationwide anger over severe institutional stress. His alignment with Ambedkar, Periyar, and Kamaraj – the heroes of social justice, rationalism and Tamil Nadu. It is not that film celebrities are entering politics. It shows deep knowledge of political ideologies of Tamil Nadu.
BIP does not seem to understand South India properly. According to their strong organizational structure, money power and celebrity support will help them win despite the ideological differences. But it will not work in the case of Tamil Nadu. For over a hundred years, Tamilians have rejected all attempts by Northern politicians to dominate them.
It wasn’t a political blunder, but an ideological stance when he turned down BJP’s proposal of giving them 90 seats and making him Chief Minister. In Tamil Nadu, being with the saffron party is not a ticket to power. It’s political suicide. Just ask Palaniswami of AIADMK whose collaboration with BJP seems to have brought him only defeat.
The platform of TVK reveals all you need to know about what people want in Tamil Nadu. Two-language policy, Tamil and English, no Hindi at all. The demand to return education to State List to end the centralized rule of NEET which has killed Tamil students. His commitment to TVK was tapping into this anger by positioning itself as the savior of Tamil language and culture. There is no need for Vijay to mention the BJP threat, as Tamil voters understand this very well. The way Shah describes Hindi as the unifier of India and the manner in which Modi refers to terrorism from Bihar meetings, after the Pahalgam attack which took the lives of the people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, speaks volumes about their standing.
Furthermore, southern states tightly control their welfare apparatuses, contrasting sharply with regions where administrations struggle when balancing state budgets with massive fiscal liabilities. This is why TVK’s achievement of winning 100+ seats from early trends is a clear indication of the success that a party can achieve if it protects the language identity of Tamils. Existing parties who give into BJP’s saffronization will be unsuccessful.
Dravidian ideology is not dead; it only needs to evolve. And the one fundamental tenet of Dravidian politics continues to be the same; Tamil Nadu shall resist any party that infringes on its language, culture, and fiscal independence.
