TVK’s post-poll strategy under scrutiny as inexperience, poor communication cloud Vijay’s politics

Analysts say TVK’s WhatsApp outreach to potential allies, silence on Governor delays and weak strategy revealed cracks in Vijay’s transition from cinema superstar to chief minister.

New Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay assumes the office of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, in Chennai on Sunday | X@TNDIPRNEWS/ANI

Chennai: Vijay’s latest blockbuster, like his movies, had its twists and turns, before it reached its climax on Sunday as the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief took oath as Tamil Nadu’s new chief minister.

The party created history 4 May by emerging as the single-largest party with 108 seats, ending the DMK-AIADMK duopoly in the state.

However, its journey from 108 to 118 was an arduous tussle, and one that raised a lot of questions on the new CM’s political inexperience.

The party’s handling of the post-poll political scenario, including multiple visits by Vijay to the Governor, reliance on informal WhatsApp messages to seek support from other parties, and a conspicuous silence when the Governor was criticised for delaying the swearing-in, have come under sharp criticism.

Observers say these actions reflect a lack of political experience, poor crisis management, and insufficient vocal resistance to perceived Central interference.

‘Casual and informal approach’

VCK leader Sinthanai Selvan was among the first to publicly criticise TVK’s approach. He argued that Vijay was being misled on the situation since the party sent a letter via WhatsApp asking for support.

“In a scenario where the absolute majority is not available to form the government, TVK should have acted with extreme caution. Shouldn’t Vijay have immediately met in person the leaders of parties whose support he seeks? Shouldn’t he have openly discussed that he is not under the control of second-level leaders and the urgent need to prevent the BJP from entering Tamil Nadu through the Governor’s route?” he wrote on X.

This direct criticism from an eventual alliance partner highlighted what many saw as a casual style of engagement with potential allies that failed to inspire confidence in a hung assembly situation. Critics pointed out that TVK’s star-driven campaign energy did not convert into the kind of direct and communication-based alliance-building politics that Tamil Nadu has traditionally demanded.

“The party needs to learn seriousness. Whether it is handling alliances, communication with their own MLAs or to the general public, TVK cannot continue with the star-driven governance anymore. He is no more an actor and the formal and official communications need to be handled in a very serious manner. The talks with alliances should have begun immediately after the results started indicating favourable numbers and a clear communication from the party head. That is how it is done in politics with accountability and responsibility,” said political analyst Ramu Manivannan.

Lack of preparation and strategy

The lack of preparation and delay in strategy to approach the political parties for the formation of a coalition government was reflected in the pace at which decisions were made by alliance parties. The absence of Vijay himself from meetings with potential alliance leaders was also labelled as a strategically weak move by analysts.

“The situation could have been handled better if TVK was prepared to gather majority and had met the potential alliance leaders in person. Moreover, it is a known fact that BJP was trying to distrupt the post-poll circumstances in Tamil Nadu. TVK did not take a clear stance and moreover, did not give clarity on the responses by the Governor to the people,” said Ramu Manivannan.

He noted that despite reaching the stage of forming a government, they did not have a strategic pick of alliances with a clear plan to meet and discuss support. Instead, they struggled to get the numbers.

Manivannan added that TVK’s desire to build an anti-BJP front was undermined by its silence. “Vijay wanted to pick the anti-BJP coalition but did not say anything against BJP or the Governor even when rivals like DMK raised voices supporting Vijay. They kept silent on certain areas, which shows inexperience and lack of wisdom to make the right moves post-poll,” Ramu Manivannan told ThePrint.

With a large number of voters being unaware of the TVK candidates but voting for Vijay, Ramu Manivannan calls this unprecedented. He added that independent organisational strength is required in the near future as TVK forms the government.

Communication gaps and ‘privileged’ behaviour

Even before the election results, the TVK’s organisational strengths were questioned because of cancellation of party events, lack of clear instructions to the public for rallies and sudden schedule changes.

Even as Congress leaders protested outside the Governor’s office raising questions regarding the delay in Vijay’s invite to form the government, TVK leaders stayed away from any form of direct protest. The lack of deeper organisational weaknesses in the party are also being flagged even when handling the post-poll situation.

Analyst Arun Kumar sees it as a sense of entitlement in Vijay and calls it ‘privileged behaviour’ emanating from his star status. “The media has to rely on source-based information because TVK remains silent and Vijay does not openly address the public. They reached out to alliance partners but did not provide any official communication. This leads to a lot of miscommunication. The star charisma is some where reflected in their way of handling the scenario,” he said.

He added that if Vijay prefers not to speak directly when an official stance is required, the party must designate a clear spokesperson to provide official clarity to cadres, allies, and the public.

“TVK’s silence on BJP, despite calling it an enemy, was questioned multiple times. However, the criticism was limited since they were just an emerging party and such mistakes were ignored. But now they will be under public watch if they are going to run the government,” he added.

With Dravidian majors DMK and AIADMK being vocal about state issues, TVK needs to catch up, say analysts.

“The fight against the central government on issues like interference of Governor, delimitation, central funds, need to be conveyed clearly. The narrative on anti-BJP sentiments is important for state politics and if they do not resist the forces that they have grievances with, it will weaken the strength of the party. The silence of TVK on BJP is questionable even before the election results came out,” said Arun Kumar.

‘Needs strategic and mature handling’

The repeated visits of TVK chief Vijay to Governor staking claim to form the government without adequate letters of support reflected the need for better review of the democratic rights of the party. Analysts see that lack of experience and immaturity as a challenge going forward.

Political analyst A. Ramasamy focused on the persistence of an “actor-like” approach in serious political dealings and staying away from public communications.

“While the response of the Governor is also questionable, Vijay could have reviewed the technical aspects of staking claim to form the government before visiting the Governor. It is an intentional delay from Governor, but the handling of the same from TVK could be more mature and approached accordingly. Politics is different from cinema and one cannot neglect the understanding of significant political processes. The multiple visits were not required given that the TVK was the single largest party,” he told ThePrint.

He suggested better utilisation of senior leaders and said, “The inexperience is a problem with the party and the experience and organisational strength of the Left parties, Sengottaiayan and VCK chief Thirumavalavan needs to be utilised better.”

While Vijay’s personal charisma successfully mobilised voters, analysts and political voices emphasise that sustained success will require sharper coalition management, proactive handling, and a more assertive stand on critical issues.

Acknowledging that alliances with experienced parties like VCK and the Left could help bridge the inexperience gap in the future, analysts also warn that Vijay’s consistent silence on major issues could become a troubling norm. Even as Vijay took oath as chief minister with TVK securing the necessary support, the episode has highlighted the steep learning curve for the young party.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)