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Proposed Welfare Expenditure Estimate
Estimated impact of welfare promises relative to state revenue
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The Vijay factor - The Island
Share Tweet Friday 8th May, 2026 Pity the land that needs heroes, Brecht has famously said. Some countries have gone to the extent of elevating political greenhorns to positions of power, expecting them to play messianic roles, simply because of their popularity in the tinsel world and adeptness at uttering Goebbelsian lies and making Machiavellian promises. Tamil Nadu voted overwhelmingly for Vijay (Joseph Vijay) recently. However, his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) could not secure an outright majority, and his political journey has had a bumpy start. He has been left with no alternative but to resort to political horse trading to form a coalition government. The Congress has reportedly made overtures to the TVK, and a political marriage of convenience is said to be likely. The problem with most actors-turned-politicians in this region is that they tend to consider real world politics as a mere extension of their celluloid reality, and, worse, act accordingly. True, there are some exceptions, but they only prove the rule. We could have ignored Vijay’s theatrics and campaign slogans, and considered them problems confined to Tamil Nadu, if not for their implications for Sri Lanka. Vijay obviously lacks experience to navigate complex political and economic issues. Tamil Nadu actors’ stunts in films defy the laws of physics and are hugely entertaining, but they are of no use in the real world vis-à-vis economic and political challenges. Among Vijay’s campaign promises that helped him garner enough popular support to win the recent election are a 2,500-rupee monthly allowance for women heads of households, six free cylinders of LPG a year for families, one sovereign gold ring each for all newborns, a 15,000-rupee education assistance allowance for mothers of schoolchildren, a 4,000-rupee monthly allowance for unemployed graduates, Rs. 5 lakh as new start-up loans, and Rs 25 lakh for biz launch loans. These promises, if ever implemented, will cost Tamil Nadu more than 50% of its annual tax revenue, according to Indian media reports. So, all signs are that most of them will go unfulfilled, and Vijay and TVK will have their work cut out to retain popular support. Trouble for Sri Lanka is bound to begin when they struggle to shore up their approval ratings. Sri Lanka is the last resort of all failed Tamil Nadu politicians, as it were. Vijay has already called for ‘retrieving’ Katchatheevu. He is emulating his predecessors. He is likely to intensify h...
Arnab Breaks Down The 'Vijay Factor' In Tamil Nadu With S ... - YouTube
Arnab Breaks Down The ‘Vijay Factor’ In Tamil Nadu With S Gurumurthy| Verdict With Arnab 2026 - YouTube
'X-Factor' Vijay: Can TVK Tilt The Balance In A Neck-and ... - Times Now
With a massive fan base, youth appeal, and growing political influence, Vijay's entry into Tamil Nadu politics has sparked intense debate over whether he could emerge as the decisive "X-factor" in the state, which otherwise used to witness neck-and-neck contests only between the DMK and AIADMK.
Is Vijay-led TVK's massive gains in Tamil Nadu a 'Gen Z' election ...
C Joseph Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathy, is the founder and president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and a leading contender in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
