DC Edit | At The Helm, Vijay To Face Huge Challenges

A tsunami arising from a political earthquake that was hardly felt or foretold saw actor Vijay vault towards the coveted seat in historic Fort St George, which he will soon be occupying. As he makes the transition from a cinematic dream of becoming the chief minister of Tamil Nadu being fulfilled in spectacular style in his party’s maiden elections, the popular matinee star may have realised that the world of politics presents a different kind of reality altogether.

The machinations for a possible coalition government combining a few small parties which appear ready to break away from their pre-poll alliance moorings and support the cinema star, whose party TVK is 10 MLAs short of a working majority, have already begun. The fact is there are many options ahead of Mr Vijay’s party, but he must choose wisely lest he compromise the principled way he campaigned for bringing about a change from the old ways of Dravidian rulers. Having come to power as the agent of promised change, he must ensure that positive change does take place.

Minority governments have had their own way of surviving the political storms that came their way like Narasimha Rao’s central rule from Delhi in the 1990s or even a couple of M. Karunanidhi’s terms in office when J. Jayalalithaa often derided his governments for their minority status in the Assembly. The catch is such governments have always had to compromise to survive. Mr Vijay would, of course, like nothing better than being in total control but he may have to be careful around inviting the right people who will help make his rule smooth.

The simpler option may have been to invite AIADMK’s support, at least from outside, as Mr Vijay had soft-pedalled questions regarding that party in his campaign lines. That, however, seems to have been ruled out even as a new combination is being worked out with the five Congress MLAs, who are waiting for word from Rahul Gandhi, possibly supporting his government from outside, along with others from parties with minor representation. It would be fair to say that it might prove easier to find the numbers to form the government than to get down to the brass tacks of changing the tilt of the administration which had been serving different kinds of masters.

In having managed his fan clubs, which became more than just an adulatory association of fans of the hero of the film world as he shaped them into connecting with the grassroots, Mr Vijay has had some experience of running an organisation that did social work in the field and in emergencies. It is just that he must find a balance now in directing Tamil Nadu’s weighty bureaucracy. If Ms Jayalalithaa had treated the administrative and police officers with an imperial touch, with not a word allowed or even attempted in opposition to her ideas and orders, Stalin may have given the bureaucrats a free run thus contributing to their becoming a behemoth prone to some excesses.

There is, however, considerable administrative expertise in running an industrial state like Tamil Nadu whose constraints are more to do with finances, which are already stretched, if not stressed. Delivering on his poll promises like support for women, unemployed graduates and farmers is going to cost the exchequer. Mr Vijay will not be found lacking the will to follow his instincts to be a chief minister who will not lose that touch with the people who have voted for him in the hope of obtaining a better future.