'Rookie' Vijay set to take the throne; Can he slay the challenges as Chief Minister?

Chennai: Set to be the Chief Minister, C Joseph Vijay will face multiple challenges in running the government, including fulfilling promises made to the people that will further burden the exchequer and satisfying the aspirations of his party members who have been elected to power for the first time.

51-year-old Vijay will have to find ways to shore up funds to implement the promises he has made to the people, such as providing eight grams of gold and a silk saree for girls at the time of their marriage, a gold ring for newborn girls, and direct benefit transfers of Rs 2,500 monthly to women under the age of 60.

Implementing the one-time schemes would require about Rs 37,800 crore, while the government needs Rs 60,000 crore annually to provide the monthly stipend to over two crore women, as per projected population figures. Another Rs 12,408 crore per year will be needed to implement the Annapoorani scheme (six free LPG cylinders per family).

Tamil Nadu’s debt has been mounting for the past few years and it will touch about Rs 11 lakh crore in 2026-2027 financial year. Vijay might be forced to postpone the implementation of the schemes by a few months given the financial situation.

He will also have to find ways to deal with the BJP-led Union Government on several issues – the state has been denied of its due under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for not implementing the three-language policy.

Vijay will also be expected to maintain the momentum of the state's investment climate by continuing to attract companies in varied sectors – Tamil Nadu has been continuously posting record growth in the past few years.

Tamil Nadu has become the locus of Apple manufacturing in India, with Foxconn and home-grown Tata Electronics Private Limited employing about a lakh people at their massive manufacturing units near Chennai and Hosur, respectively.

It would augur well for Vijay to focus on industrial growth; the previous DMK government succeeded in converting MoUs into actual projects. As the state has emerged as a hub for electronics, electric vehicles, and non-leather footwear, Vijay should identify the right talent from his MLAs to lead the Industries Department.

One area where Vijay could face a dilemma is the proposed greenfield airport for Chennai in Parandur, which he opposed as TVK chief. However, officials and industry titans argue that Chennai immediately needs a swanky airport to avoid losing ground to cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad. They argue that Vijay should recognise the necessity of the airport and decide accordingly.

Another focus area will be cracking down on drug proliferation—an issue flagged by people across the state during election tours—and instituting mechanisms to prevent custodial deaths.

Though Vijay and his team lack administrative experience, barring former AIADMK veteran K. A. Sengottaiyan and retired IRS officer K. G. Arunraj, a veteran politician told DH that an ecosystem will automatically be created around the Chief Minister.

“IAS officers will take over. All he has to do is find the right officers and put them in the right place. He already has a good team of advisors who drafted a unique campaign and scripted history. Administratively, he will face no issues as the bureaucracy will guide him,” the politician added.

However, another politician noted that the real challenge would come from within the TVK, as Vijay must fulfill the aspirations of those who worked for his victory. “There will be a tussle for power, and that is where experience comes in handy. He will have to handle his partymen well while fulfilling his promises to the people,” he added.