About a month ago, Tamil Nadu witnessed one of the biggest political upsets in its history. Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), launched barely two years earlier, emerged as the single largest party and went on to form the government, ending the decades-long dominance of the Dravidian majors that had alternated in power for much of the state’s political history.The victory was made possible largely due to two factors: Vijay’s personal popularity, built over decades as a film star, and a campaign centred on the promise of change.However, seasoned political analysts view this sudden rise with deep scepticism. Professor Ramu Manivannan, former head of the Political Science Department at the University of Madras, says he has had doubts about the party from the beginning.“Right from the start, I have had a trust deficit regarding both the party and the process through which it came to power. A person can be popular, charismatic and influential, but political leadership requires years of hard work and organisational building. TVK’s leadership has skipped that stage,” says Manivannan.Manivannan also sees a contradiction in a cinema-based political movement promising to eliminate corruption.“They speak about providing a clean alternative and fighting corruption, but they come from an industry that has long faced questions about financial transparency. Without making it personal, it must be said that the film industry has often depended on unofficial and parallel financial systems. So when someone builds wealth within that system and then claims to clean up politics, it raises important questions. That contradiction cannot be ignored,” he says.A mixed first month in powerAnd a month later, the honeymoon period is already showing signs of strain.The first month of any new government is usually about setting the tone, demonstrating competence and showing voters that campaign promises can translate into governance. Judged on those parameters, TVK’s first month has been a mixed one.Observers point out that the Vijay government did not appear paralysed by the scale of its victory, even though the process of government formation itself was not entirely smooth. On May 10, Vijay was sworn in as chief minister along with nine other ministers, including veterans such as Sengottaiyan and newcomers like Keerthana.The council of ministers was later expanded to 35 and accommodated leaders from alliance partners including the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The coalition government is another first in Tamil Nadu in its recent memory.This shift toward a broad and often conflicting coalition has also drawn criticism from political observers. Manivannan argues that TVK’s rise was driven more by public frustration with existing parties than by a clear political vision.“The party does not have a clearly defined ideology or a consistent set of principles. Its biggest strength has been the public’s growing disappointment with the two major Dravidian parties over the past two decades. People were looking for change. But instead of emerging from people’s movements or social struggles, this alternative has once again come from the cinema industry. As a result, the government lacks a clear ideological direction or long-term political vision,” he says.Detractors also point out that the government has struggled to deliver on some of its most prominent election promises. The most significant controversy has centred on the issue of crop loan waivers.During the election campaign, Vijay had promised a complete waiver of agricultural loans for farmers owning less than five acres of land and a 50% waiver for those owning larger holdings. However, the government’s first announcement on the issue stopped short of that commitment. The scheme provided a full waiver only for certain categories of small borrowers and partial relief for others. Farmer organisations argued that the announcement diluted the promise made during the campaign and organised protests demanding that the original commitment be honoured.TVK supporters counter that the government inherited a difficult fiscal situation and could not immediately implement a full-scale waiver without affecting other welfare commitments. They point to Tamil Nadu’s substantial debt burden and argue that the scheme should be viewed as the first phase of a larger process. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders have also rejected the government’s portrayal of the state’s finances as being in crisis, pointing out that Tamil Nadu’s fiscal indicators compare favourably with several other states and that the debt situation is not as alarming as TVK suggests.Cases of crimes against womenOne of the major planks on which Vijay rode the victory wave was the promise of improving law and order and addressing violence against women. During the campaign, he declared that violence against women would be curbed the moment he assumed office.Yet the government’s first month was overshadowed by the horrific sexual assault and murder of a ten-year-old girl in Sulur, Coimbatore district. The case triggered widespread outrage and quickly became a political flashpoint because it struck at the heart of one of TVK’s central campaign themes. The incident also renewed concerns about child safety and the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for preventing crimes against women and children. More recently, the alleged gangrape of a young woman in Srivaikundam, and the subsequent arrest of two TVK functionaries, provided fresh ammunition to the opposition. According to reports, the survivor accused TVK MLA from Srivaikundam V.G. Saravanan of trying to shield the culprits.The Srivaikundam case has also renewed scrutiny of the government’s response to crimes against women. Former Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) MLA Bala Bharathi argues that TVK had made the safety of women and girl children a central theme of its campaign, with Vijay and party supporters repeatedly speaking about the issue in public meetings and social media outreach.“Almost all of TVK’s campaign messaging revolved around women and girl children. Vijay repeatedly spoke about these issues and many young supporters echoed the same message,” she says.“But after coming to power, we have not heard the same urgency from the government. Nobody has come forward to strongly condemn such incidents or clearly explain what action is being taken.”Bharathi says the contrast between the party’s pre-election rhetoric and its response in government is difficult to ignore. “There is a very wide gap between what they spoke about before the election and how they are acting now as a government,” she argues.“The chief minister, or at least senior party leaders, should have publicly condemned what happened and reassured people that such crimes would be dealt with firmly.”While she acknowledges that the police have acted in the Srivaikundam case, Bharathi contends that the political leadership has remained largely absent from the conversation. “The police are taking action. But that visible response from the government side is missing,” she says.According to available crime data, the State also witnessed several murders and cases of sexual violence during the initial weeks of the new administration. Of course, nobody expects a chief minister to eliminate such crimes overnight. But critics argue that the government was slow in shaping the public narrative around these incidents and in communicating how it intended to address growing concerns over public safety.As one activist observed, “Nobody expects Vijay to wave a magic wand and eliminate crime as he might have done in a movie. But as chief minister, he should at least have spoken more clearly and consistently about these incidents.”‘Govt appears to be using this transition period as a shield against criticism’Manivannan says a new government cannot expect a grace period when it comes to basic governance and public safety.“The so-called six-month honeymoon period is something usually granted by the opposition; it is not a right that comes with forming a government. Issues such as law and order, public safety and essential services must be handled from day one. The government appears to be using this transition period as a shield against criticism. But that shield disappears when people begin facing failures in basic services and public safety. The administration seems unprepared to handle these responsibilities or communicate openly with the public,” he says.He is also critical of CM Vijay’s limited engagement with the media, arguing that it weakens democratic accountability.“A leader who came to power promising change has shown a clear reluctance to face the press. When judged by standards of democratic accountability, transparency and ethical governance, the government’s early performance raises serious concerns. This is not criticism directed at any one party. The same standards should apply to any government that holds power,” Manivannan says.The first month has also exposed the weaknesses of a debut party transitioning towards power. Several ministers have faced criticism over controversial remarks, policy confusion and communication failures.The most prominent controversy emerged in the aftermath of the Sulur case, when the response of some ministers came under criticism from opposition parties and sections of civil society. Other ministers have also found themselves clarifying statements or correcting positions after public backlash.Perhaps the biggest question facing TVK is not administrative but political. The party came to power promising a break from what it described as the old political culture of Tamil Nadu. That promise is now being tested.Opposition parties have repeatedly accused TVK of attempting to engineer divisions within All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and encourage defections. Such allegations are hardly new in Tamil Nadu politics. Similar accusations have been made against governments of different political colours over the years. “That is precisely the problem. If the new government relies on the same methods traditionally associated with old-style power politics, where is the change that voters were promised?” asks one political observer.TVK supporters reject this criticism, arguing that political realignments are inevitable after a major electoral victory. Yet the allegations continue to fuel debate because the party’s central claim was not simply that it would govern better, but that it would govern differently.A month is too short a time to expect transformative results. However, it is not too short a time to expect clarity. Many voters are still waiting to see how the government’s larger promises will translate into policy.Kavitha Muralidharan is an independent journalist.