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How CM Vijay has silenced critics with 10 to 6 in office, AC bus and Hindu funds ….INDIA TODAY –

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From the day he entered politics, C Joseph Vijay was dismissed by his critics as inexperienced and unfit to govern. Yet, Tamil Nadu voted him to power. Just as his films opened to blockbuster success, his first moves as the chief minister have won him praise and silenced his critics.

Through his governance style, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay appears to be answering every criticism once levelled by his political rivals and sceptics. (Image: File)

Avinash Kateel

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 1, 2026

Over two years ago, on February 2, 2024, a new political force emerged in Tamil Nadu. But in a state long dominated by the two Dravidian giants, the DMK and the AIADMK, the launch of another political party shouldn’t have made headlines. But it did, because it was southern India’s biggest film star, Thalapathy, C Joseph Vijay, entering the political fray of the state.

The actor decided to launch his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazagham (TVK), and announced from a stage in Vikravandi town that this was the “moment of a new beginning for Tamil Nadu”. The majority of the psephologists and political observers then doubted Vijay’s impact on politics and claimed that he could at best be a “kingmaker” and “not the king” himself.

Cut to May 4, 2026. The Assembly election results for Tamil Nadu were announced, and after six long decades, the people of Tamil Nadu voted out the major Dravidian parties for the first time and opted for the force led by the actor-turned-politician.

On May 10, Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, but scepticism around him still lingered. This time it was about governance. Vijay’s political rivals claimed that an actor could only work in front of a camera, and he had no experience in governance. Some leaders even claimed that Vijay wouldn’t complete his full term. Amid all the trading of barbs, it has been over a month since Vijay became the CM, and the measures taken by him are making people think that the actor-turned-politician is giving the right message to the public through his governance.

Vijay’s directives to district collectors and police chiefs on Monday, calling for fearless action against criminals without political interference, insisting that even the most influential offenders face swift and impartial justice, and announcing that all Tamil Nadu public transport buses will be air-conditioned, have strengthened the perception that the CM is prioritising governance over politics.

This is the message Thalapathy has been sending since becoming Chief Minister.

VIJAY’S RIGHT MESSAGING THROUGH GOVERNANCE STARTED FROM DAY-1 AS CM

Vijay’s government announced several poll promises during the Assembly election campaign. Vijay asked the people of Tamil Nadu to trust him fully, and promised that he would not deceive voters with false promises. On the polling day, the people of Tamil Nadu kept their promise, and it was Vijay’s time to deliver.

Within hours after assuming office, Vijay announced 200 units of free electricity. According to news reports, this decision would benefit nearly 2.4 crore domestic electricity connection holders in the state.

He also launched an Anti-Drug Task Force in every district of Tamil Nadu with a motive to stop and strictly punish drug trafficking, sale, and use. Vijay also ensured that this task force would be directly monitored by him.

The CM launched a Special Task Force for Women and named it Singappen (Lioness) Special Task Force. The motive of the wing was to prevent crimes against women and children and ensure rapid action and quick resolution of complaints.

Within 48 hours of coming to power, Vijay ordered the closure of 717 Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) retail outlets operating near places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands across the state. The order directed the authorities to shut down all such state-run liquor outlets functioning within a 500-metre radius of temples, mosques, churches, schools, colleges, and bus stands within two weeks of the order.

With this decision, 276 liquor shops near religious sites, 186 near schools and colleges, and 255 near bus terminals were shut, and Vijay fulfilled his promise to make public gathering spaces free from alcoholics.

However, several poll promises remain unfulfilled, though the government says they will be implemented soon.

PUNCTUALITY, ATTIRE AND CEO STYLE OF OPERATING MAKING VIJAY DIFFERENT

More than policy announcements and governance, the symbolism of Vijay’s working style is in the spotlight. Every morning, the Chief Minister arrives at the Secretariat on time, dressed in a sharply tailored black suit and white shirt, a conscious departure from the iconic white veshti that has long defined Tamil Nadu’s political class. The choice is more than sartorial.

This signals an attempt to project himself less as a traditional Dravidian politician and more as a modern administrator in Tamil Nadu.

Inside the Secretariat, the emphasis appears to be on discipline. Vijay reportedly spends nearly seven hours at his desk from Monday to Friday, has insisted that senior bureaucrats maintain strict punctuality, and has made timely attendance a non-negotiable expectation across the administrative hierarchy.

Even his habit of bringing lunch from home and eating quietly in his office, rather than hosting lengthy political meetings over meals, has become part of the narrative surrounding his style of governance.

None of these actions transform governance. But in bureaucratic systems, leadership often begins with signalling priorities. When the person at the top demonstrates punctuality, regular office hours, and a visible work ethic, it creates expectations throughout the administrative chain.

Such gestures may appear symbolic, yet they help shape the culture of government, sending a message that efficiency, discipline, and accountability are to be valued as much as political rhetoric.

NITI AAYOG VICE CHAIRMAN’S PRAISE TO CM VIJAY BROKE THE INTERNET

Being a film star, Vijay has seen so many blockbuster movies and success in his career. But after becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, his vision for the state became the talking point when Niti Aayog’s Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri praised Vijay.

Despite positioning himself as a strong advocate of Tamil Nadu’s interests, Vijay has maintained a pragmatic working relationship with the Centre.

After assuming office, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and used the moment to highlight several issues that have long dominated Tamil Nadu’s politics. Vijay urged the Centre to pursue legal measures against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project, and sought the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by Sri Lanka. Vijay also appealed to accelerate defence manufacturing projects in Tamil Nadu, and secure greater support for artificial intelligence, skill development and industrial investments by the Central Government.

He also participated in the Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting on June 11, signalling that he may differ politically with the Union government, but still is ready to work for the betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu.

Vijay’s economic vision drew attention from political circles. Ashok Lahiri publicly praised Vijay’s long-term roadmap to expand Tamil Nadu’s economy to $1.5 trillion by 2035, describing it as an ambitious but clearly articulated vision. The endorsement was seen as recognition that the new Chief Minister is attempting to position Tamil Nadu not merely as India’s manufacturing hub but as a global investment and technology destination over the next decade.

VIJAY’S ANTI-CORRUPTION AND PUBLIC WELFARE MESSAGING

The Vijay-led government’s early priorities were strengthening welfare delivery and improving public services, and within weeks of assuming office, the government ordered a comprehensive overhaul of Tamil Nadu’s 620 Amma Unavagam canteens, directing authorities to modernise kitchens, replace utensils, improve sanitation and address long-standing complaints about hygiene and food quality.

The administration also announced the first phase of cooperative bank loan waivers for poor and economically vulnerable borrowers, while reviving several stalled Jal Jeevan Mission drinking water projects aimed at expanding access to safe tap water. To support the agricultural sector, the government unveiled a Rs 134.83 crore package to promote paddy cultivation.

Other early measures included deploying 40 new vehicles to strengthen rural healthcare and emergency medical services, besides introducing stricter monitoring at scan centres to improve maternal healthcare.

Alongside welfare measures, the government has sought to project itself as one focused on administrative reforms and clean governance. At the heart of this effort is the Vetri Tamizhagam Vision Document, a 436-point governance blueprint spanning 35 departments and built around ten pillars inspired by the Tirukkural, a celebrated, classic Tamil text on ethics, morality, and righteous living. The document lays out measurable targets across sectors including education, healthcare, infrastructure, economic growth and transparent governance.

Vijay also released a White Paper on Tamil Nadu’s finances, highlighting the state’s inherited debt burden and pledging greater fiscal transparency. Vijay simultaneously instructed officials to eliminate “parallel power centres” within the bureaucracy, warned against kickbacks in public works contracts, expanded single-window clearances for investors and backed anti-corruption investigations, including raids by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

Vijay cancelled administrative sanctions granted for 46 Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department projects worth Rs 245.85 crore, including marriage halls and commercial complexes that were approved under the previous DMK administration. Government officials said that the move was aimed as temple resources should be spent on temple-related activities rather than commercial ventures. The government has also announced that fresh schemes for temples and devotees would be unveiled using the funds released from the cancelled projects.

He has also outlined plans for a Tamil Nadu Citizen Privilege Card to streamline welfare delivery, a Vetri Tamil Nadu Super App for government services, a proposed Right to Services Act, and a dedicated department to drive the use of artificial intelligence in governance. Together, these initiatives reflect an attempt to combine welfare expansion with technology-driven administration and greater bureaucratic accountability by Vijay.

For over two decades, C Joseph Vijay dominated the silver screen with blockbuster openings. Now, as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, he appears intent on delivering a governance script with the same cinematic flair. The TVK government has faced its share of controversies, but Vijay has consistently projected himself as a decisive, hands-on leader, a performance aimed as much at governing the state as at silencing political rivals who questioned whether an actor could ever become an efficient administrator.

– Ends

Published By:

Avinash Kateel

Published On:

Jul 1, 2026 07:00 IST

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