'Present day youth are not interested in the past. They want to see what you are going to do now.'
IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Vijay Joseph addresses a gathering, his maiden rally since becoming CM on May 10, at St Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, June 1, 2026. Photograph: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam/ANI Video Grab
R Natraj was an All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA from 2016 to 2021. A former director general police in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Natraj was also chairman of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.
Last week he joined Chief Minister Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam which dethroned the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the recent assembly election to emerge as Tamil Nadu's new ruling party.
"What drew me to the TVK was that Vijay has stated decisively that there will be no corruption," Mr. Natraj tells Rediff Senior Contributor A Ganesh Nadar.
Did you expect Vijay to do so well in the elections?
I was interacting with people in Mylapore, Chennai. I knew that the AIADMK didn't have a chance. Social media posts were in favour of Vijay. I thought it may grow into a tsunami. The AIADMK had so many groups. I could gauge the wave.
What are the primary reasons for Vijay's victory?
People had decided that the DMK should go. The DMK has never won a second time.
Corruption was there. Law and order had gone down. Change was coming.
I expected the DMK to lose, but not this badly.
Is this a one-off victory for Vijay or can he sustain it?
He will definitely be able to sustain it.
What drew me to the TVK was that Vijay has stated decisively that there will be no corruption.
Now redevelopment plans have been cleared without corruption. Bills are being cleared without commission.
IMAGE: Vijay addresses a rally in Tiruchirappalli, June 1, 2026. Photograph: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam/ANI Video Grab
He is a political novice, so what kind of administration can we expect?
Once you get into it and understand it, the administration will be done correctly. The system is there. Course correction is needed.
We have a good machinery. There will be improvement.
In police stations supervision is needed. CM Vijay has promised that the drugs menace will be handled and eradicated. He has pinpointed that addiction to drugs is related to attacks on women and law and order.
Will distribution of money during elections now end in Tamil Nadu?
The Election Commission has not been able to handle this. Vijay did not distribute money and yet won the elections. So now I think it will stop.
Will voting on caste lines end with this election? I am asking this as nobody knew the caste of the TVK candidates?
Caste and religion did not play a role in this election. It is a blessing for Tamil Nadu.
Dalit MLAs who became ministers have been given good portfolios.
The DMK opposed the central government consistently, what will Vijay's approach be?
He will have a healthy relationship with the central government.
Vijay has said that the rights of the state will always be protected.
He will take the help of the central government for infrastructure development.
Focus will be on skills development, so that investors will come.
Now youngsters are interested in politics, which is good.
Why are so many AIADMK members joining the TVK?
For some politics is a full-time vocation. They have to be in the public eye. They don't see a future in the AIADMK.
Ever since Amma (J Jayalalithaa) died fissures have appeared in the party.
Is the AIADMK collapsing?
It's getting consumed by itself. They have lost in many parts of the state. Area of influence is reducing. Serious thinking is needed.
Present day youth are not interested in the past. They want to see what you are going to do now.
Still, why did the AIADMK come 3rd?
In the 2024 parliamentary elections in Mylapore we got 20,000 votes. Now we got 32,000 votes with our alliance partners. We had the minority vote, we lost that too.
Was the BJP tieup bad for the AIADMK?
In 2024 the BJP did well on its own. The BJP got the middle-class vote. This time the BJP was a marginal advantage. It would have been better with K Annamalai.
IMAGE: Vijay arrives at St Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, to thank people for electing him as an MLA. Vijay stepped down as the MLA from Tiruchirappalli East and retained his Perambur seat. Photograph: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam/ANI Video Grab
Is AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami a good leader?
EPS campaigned well. He was a good chief minister. He dealt with covid well.
He didn't take people along. Many left the party. In this assembly elections Sasikala got a lot of votes in the south. This worked against the AIADMK.
Has the Dravidian duopoly finally ended? How do you see Vijay's rise unfolding? Will it unravel, or will he displace either of the Dravidian giants?
He has already displaced the Dravidian model.
You remember the BJP's "India Shining' campaign in 2004. It failed. Similarly, the DMK'S anti-Centre stand will not work every time.
The DMK depended on the Rs 1,000 dole to women going in their favour. Also, family politics went against them. People want development.
Can we say Rajinikanth's missed opportunity is Vijay's gain?
Rajnikanth missed it in 1996. He missed it again in 2018. He missed the opportunity.
Can we call Vijay's win a culmination of the Jallikattu protests of 2017?
Jallikattu was a one-off protest. TVK is a movement.
None of Vijay's team is politically/administratively experienced. Will it affect governance?
Officials are there, a system is there. It will work. We need change and that is what is happening.
We have to improve the quality of education, we have to concentrate on skills development and investors will deliver.
Tamil Nadu has been at the top of the development totem under Dravidian rule. Will it change?
It will not change. People already here are making additional investments. Single window system will work wonders. People and industries will come.
What is Vijay's ideology exactly? He did hark back to Periyar, visited Dravida Kazhagam leader K Veeramani, etc, but is he a follower of the Dravidian model? There seems to be confusion over it because he has never articulated it.
We have to acknowledge the contributions of giants like Periyar for empowering women and temple entry to all. We have 69% reservation because of Jayalalithaa.
Even in the 31% you will see the Other Backward Classes and scheduled caste candidates.
Vijay brings a modern look as the youth are with him.
This is a question asked a million times, but what accounts for the Tamilian fascination for film stars in politics? Do you see this ever changing?
(Laughs) Not all film stars are given that opportunity. MGR and NTR got it. Sivaji Ganesan and Kamal Hassan could not.
Vijay had the opportunity. He used social media very well. He also trained his booth agents very well. They were there till the end, both during voting day and counting day.
Instagram was used very well. That got them the support of women.
Why did you join the TVK?
I joined the TVK because I mentor the youth for the civil service entrance exams and I know their aspirations.
Clean governance and no corruption attracted me. I want to contribute to society.