Vijay’s rise reflects a broader churn in Tamil Nadu politics, where younger voters appear increasingly willing to look beyond the traditional Dravidian binary.
For decades, Tamil Nadu politics has been dominated by the two Dravidian giants — the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
To secure a majority in the Assembly, a party or coalition needs 118 MLAs. TVK remains 10 seats short on its own, turning what looked like a political coronation into a tense post-poll power struggle.
A party formed just 2 years back is making waves in local Tamil Nadu politics and is showing the potential of carving out a significant vote share for themselves and altering the balance of power, even if it is not in the position to seize power for themselves right now.
ECI said that since the activation of the Election Seizure Management System, West Bengal recorded seizures worth over 472 crore rupees, including cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and other freebies, while Tamil Nadu reported seizures of over 599 crore rupees.
India's southern and eastern states, once considered relatively insulated from Islamist extremism compared to regions like Kashmir, have emerged as focal points for counter-terrorism operations.