Tamil Nadu: TVK MLAs vow grassroots governance, break from Dravidian politics

The newly elected legislators of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on 5 May signalled a shift towards grassroots-driven governance and a departure from traditional Dravidian politics, as the party unanimously chose its founder Vijay as leader of its legislative party.

Celebrations broke out at the party’s Panaiyur headquarters in Chennai, but leaders said the meeting’s core message went beyond symbolism, focusing on responsibility and service.

Arunraj IRS, a TVK leader, said Vijay had framed the electoral victory as a “service mandate” rather than an acquisition of power.

“Basically, he said this is a huge responsibility which the people have given us… it’s not any post or authority; it’s a service mandate… we should always deliver to the lowest strata of people,” Arunraj told reporters.

For many of the 108 MLAs, the leadership meeting served as a reminder that expectations would be measured by delivery at the grassroots level.

Diversity as political statement

V. M. Mustafa, MLA-elect from Madurai Central, highlighted the party’s emphasis on inclusive representation, saying the mandate reflected a break from entrenched political patterns.

He pointed to the selection of candidates from diverse backgrounds, including around 70 from Dalit communities and several from minority groups.

Personal battles, local issues

Jegadeshwari K, MLA-elect from Rajapalayam, spoke about the challenges she faced during the campaign.

“I have faced many threats… I have worked many times harder than a male candidate would have,” she said, adding that her focus would now be on ensuring delivery of promised benefits.

Seetha Shivam, a supporter from Virudhachalam, said local concerns such as drug abuse and the perceived neglect of the Tamil language had shaped the campaign narrative.

Defiance against established parties

M. Ravishankar, MLA-elect from Thuraiyur, dismissed the idea of political office as a status symbol.

“We will do everything that the Dravidian parties failed to do,” Ravishankar said, criticising decades of governance and pointing to gaps in basic infrastructure such as sanitation in parts of his constituency.

Despite uncertainty over government formation, TVK leaders expressed confidence that public sentiment was shifting in their favour.

Keerthana, MLA-elect from Sivakasi, said the party’s immediate task was to retain public trust.

“People have started having a belief in us… which is the reason they have voted, so we should not spoil that,” she said.

For party members, Vijay’s elevation as legislative party leader marks not just a procedural step, but what they describe as the beginning of a new political phase in Tamil Nadu.