Mumbai, May 12 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Tuesday said that Tamil Nadu has finally witnessed a change in power. The transition follows a historic election where Vijay’s party, TVK, secured the mandate of the Tamil people, breaking the traditional cycle of power between the DMK and AIADMK.

However, the Thackeray camp, in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, said that while the state celebrates, the road ahead is full of challenges. “Vijay’s government holds only a slim majority. The report suggests that maintaining stability will be a challenge, particularly with the central influence of leaders like PM Modi and HM Shah in Delhi. The new Chief Minister, who is Christian, has pledged to be a leader for all religions, asserting that providing security to every citizen is his primary duty. As Vijay transitions from the silver screen to the secretariat, the nation watches to see if he can maintain his ‘common man’ image while navigating the complex realities of governance,” it added.

The swearing-in ceremony was marked by a distinct display of nationalism. In a departure from recent trends in other states, the ceremony commenced with ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, and concluded with the Tamil State Song. This sequence appeared designed to prioritise national sentiment, said the editorial.

The editorial stated that in his first address, which echoed the dramatic flair of his cinematic persona, Vijay struck an emotional chord with the public and declared the eight crore people of Tamil Nadu as his family. He further emphasised his humble roots, stating he is neither a prince nor an angel, but a common man.

Wasting no time, Chief Minister Vijay signed his first official file providing 200 units of free electricity to domestic consumers, a move expected to directly benefit the middle class. His administration has also outlined several immediate priorities. “The CM issued a stern warning to his cabinet and MLAs, stating he would not tolerate the looting of public funds. To combat rising substance abuse among youth, a Special Task Force has been ordered to dismantle drug networks. The establishment of a dedicated Women’s Security Wing within the police department has been sanctioned. Acknowledging the state’s debt of Rs 10 lakh crore, Vijay called for strict financial discipline,” said the editorial.

However, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena claimed that the formation of the new government has caused ripples in the national political landscape. The Congress party provided support to help Vijay establish his government, a move that reportedly upset the outgoing Chief Minister Stalin’s DMK party. Consequently, the DMK has decided to exit the INDIA bloc, a decision critics suggest may lead to the party’s isolation in national politics. Despite the political friction, outgoing CM Stalin maintained a level of decorum by offering his best wishes to the new administration, the party said in the editorial.

The Thackeray camp has advised the outgoing CM Stalin to stay away from the BJP and urged him not to fall into the “silk trap of PM Modi and Shah for the benefit of the state and the nation”.

–IANS

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