The completion of 100 days in office by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government in Tamil Nadu on August 17, 2026 cannot be regarded as a mere milestone as the regime is the first coalition Ministry in Tamil Nadu in the true sense of the term.

The formation of the government, headed by film actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, had initially raised eyebrows and scepticism among many in view of the Council of Ministers predominantly consisting of first-time MLAs. But, the fact that the constitution of the first coalition government went off without any hassle was itself creditable.

In about 10 days, the expansion of the Cabinet took place smoothly. For comparison, it may be pointed out that the 141-year-old Congress required 10 days in May to choose its nominee (V.D. Satheesan) for the post of Chief Minister of Kerala, besides taking two months to allow the expansion of the Cabinet headed by D.K. Shivakumar in Karnataka.

The composition of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet presents an uncommon picture: eight members from the Scheduled Castes (SCs); four women; as many persons from religious minorities, and two members from the Brahmin community, against whose “hegemony in public life” the Dravidian political movement was launched in the early 20th Century which led to the sidelining of the community in politics.

Mr. Vijay’s style of functioning differs substantially from that of his predecessors. Ordinarily, on all week days, he is present in his chamber at the colonial-relic Fort St. Geroge, housing the Secretariat, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. This has had a positive consequence: greater number of the government employees working at the Secretariat coming to work on time. It is not just at the Secretariat but also at field offices elsewhere in the State, says Coimbatore’s former District Collector. He adds that as per his information, the responsiveness of field officers to queries of the public has improved perceptibly.

Mr. Vijay’s emphasis on the need for eliminating corruption seems to be generating an impact at government offices that have interface with the common man. The constant refrain of a host of persons, contacted by this journalist, is this: the practice of seeking bribe from people is on the decline.

The government has been making efforts to tackle effectively the problems of drug abuse and violence against women, the two of which were highlighted by the Opposition, including the TVK when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was in power during 2021-26. The publication of two White Paper documents – one for the whole government machinery and another for the State government-run power utilities – is a welcome move as the documents have made public many crucial data regarding finances of the government and the utilities.

Having blamed the previous DMK government for having left behind “an empty treasury” on his first day as Chief Minster, Mr. Vijay’s some announcements do not give the impression of fiscal prudence being given the utmost priority. He cleared the proposal for giving free electricity for the domestic category – 200 units subject to the consumption not exceeding 500 units bimonthly.

Likewise, the launch of ‘Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram’ scheme, one gram gold ring each for children born at government hospitals, and ‘Annan Seer’ — an eight-gram gold coin and a silk sari to every woman beneficiary – could have waited for shiny days, even though these schemes, just as additional 100 units of electricity, form part of electoral promises. Not only does the factor of financial implication come in the way of execution but also enormous practical difficulties.

The AIADMK government, during 2011-16, found it extremely difficult to carry out a scheme — thalikku thangam thittam (gold for marriage) — as the administration took nearly one and a half years to finalise contracts in view of fluctuating prices, despite having provided cushion for hike.

In spite of the TVK-led regime being criticised as one that is more active on social media, an element of lack of transparency surrounds the working of the government. For instance, lack of clarity prevailed over Mr. Vijay’s proposed visit to Bengaluru early this month to impress on the Karnataka government to secure the State’s share of Cauvery water. Though Agriculture Minister R. Vinoth had first made public the Chief Minister’s plan, his colleague and Energy Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar later said no final decision had been taken on the visit. It was another matter that the trip did not fructify as Mr. Shivakumar had subsequently requested Mr. Vijay not to come to his State, considering the tense situation but the Tamil Nadu government could have avoided confusion in the first instance about the trip episode.

Likewise, when the Opposition had kicked up a row contended that Mr. Vijay’s two advisors were present at the first meeting of the Cabinet on June 5, no prompt denial came from the government. It was only left to The Hindu to have the matter clarified recently when Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu, in an interview, denied the presence of outsiders.

Another area where the government has been found wanting is its attitude towards voices of dissent. In the first couple of months of the TVK’s rule, at least 10 persons had been subject to police action, on account of speaking against the Chief Minister or his Cabinet colleagues. Commenting on this matter, this newspaper, in its editorial on July 21, pointed out that “the actions of the police indicate a wider pattern of speech-related arrests, and authoritarianism under the TVK government, where defamation, the IT Act and cyber crime provisions are invoked at will for any criticism against individuals in the government or the ruling party.“

The government, which has been talking of the goal of making Tamil Nadu a $1-trillion economy in 10 years, has not yet facilitated any debate on how it plans to achieve the goal nor has it come out with any blue print in this regard.

Notwithstanding its weak spots, the TVK-led government is enjoying the goodwill of a large number of people as it is still in the early stages. There is enormous time available for course correction. However, what Mr. Vijay and his colleagues in the TVK should keep in mind is that they are running a coalition government, depending on the support of other parties for survival. The Chief Minister and his team should go the extra mile to show that they attach importance to consultations and arriving at a consensus, while respecting dissent.

Published - August 19, 2026 06:22 pm IST