New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay is certainly a surprise in the national political discourse. Vijay is the third in the list of most preferred names for the charge of Prime Minister following Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, according to the latest several reports.
The survey reveals that 48.7% of the respondents preferred Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister; 27.1% opted for Rahul Gandhi. Vijay won 9.2% of the votes and outranked some opposition leaders.
A fast rise in national politics
It is Vijay’s speed of entry into the political national discourse that makes his job interesting. He has just come into the realm of politics and is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His political appeal might be extending beyond the state as he makes the top three list of PMs.
Vijay had already built up an extensive fan base due to his long career in Tamil movies. The transition from movie superstar to politician meant he had a solid base to build upon, especially with young audiences and with those who were already fans of his movies and for his work. His party, TVK, is also attempting to develop an image of change and a ‘new style of leadership’.
Why people are showing interest in Vijay
Vijay’s rising popularity might be partly because he is viewed as a young politician. Vijay is not like Modi or Rahul Gandhi who have been at the heart of the country’s political action for many years.
He could garner younger voters, too. Indian youth are seeking leadership which goes beyond the conventional political options. Vijay has a flair for entertainment and his active social-mediation and speaking skills may prove useful in reaching out to this voter segment.
He has already begun to speak of taking a bigger role in the country and he already has supporters calling for it. It was revealed that on one occasion, some TVK leaders have expressed their wish that Vijay may become a ‘face’ for Prime Minister in future, including in the Lok Sabha election in 2029.
Vijay’s opposition leadership appeal
Vijay’s backing isn’t confined to the PM question. The survey also questioned respondents as to which opposition leader would be most appropriate to lead an opposition coalition. Vijay was trailing Rahul Gandhi in the race for the support, but ahead of the leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Akhilesh Yadav, with 12.2% of support.
The current survey does not necessarily imply that Vijay is in the picture for the PM role now. Narendra Modi is still far ahead of other options. But the third place where Vijay is standing raises significance as he has joined the national race much early than a lot of people expected.
The immediate lesson that can be drawn from the situation is that Vijay is not just viewed as a Tamil Nadu leader anymore. His popularity is increasing, indicating a part of the electorate in India is becoming a potential contendor in national politics.
