“Minorities generally have some sense of insecurity and the DMK had been the trusted (choice) previously,” he said. “But now they are beginning to see through the indirect pact that the DMK has with the BJP. They (DMK) can’t help but compromise on key aspects because if you need to take on the Union, you need to be clean. Even if the DMK wants to, it can’t be uncompromising with the BJP.”
For instance, Arunraj said that as soon as the assembly election schedule was announced, all key officers of West Bengal were transferred but this didn’t happen in Tamil Nadu. He said that it was only after continuous pressure and statements from opposition leaders that a few officers were transferred.
“Church seniors would have given their support to the DMK, but most minorities feel that only the TVK can be the genuine supporter and caretaker of minorities,” he said.
Christians and Muslims, who together account for nearly 15% of the electorate, have traditionally backed the DMK. But Vijay – born Joseph Vijay and identifying as a Christian – is now positioning himself as a strong alternative, aiming to tap into this significant vote share through his party.
The comments of the TVK’s policy and propaganda chief come a few days after the CSI Zion Church chairman Raja Freeman declared that the Christian and minority groups stand with the ruling party and anticipate its continued governance in the state. He said that it was not just minorities but also the youth and women that the party was banking heavily on.
“Our estimate is that we will win not less than 160 (out of a total of 234) seats,” Arunraj said. “That is the kind of wave and silent revolution that we have seen on the ground. The biggest achievement of our leader is that he has given hope to the people. He showed that politics can be for the people. That is the hope he has given to the youth. That’s why the youth are coming into our party in large numbers. They are key supporters.”Further, he said that Vijay was receiving unprecedented support from women too and that there was an emotional connection with the actor.
“Every woman sees our leader as a son or brother or their own family member,” Arunraj said. “That is the key difference compared to other leaders. Even Stalin is claiming that he is a father figure but no woman is buying that because they are seeing that it is just empty words as there is no concrete plan of action for women. That’s why the TVK is scoring well among women and youth.”
When asked about whether he was concerned about the large crowds at Vijay’s rallies translating to votes, the party general secretary said he was confident that it would as these were ‘organic crowds”.
“There are two types of crowds – one which is mobilised and one which is organic,” he said. “When there’s a mobilised crowd, it will not translate into votes. But these crowds are organic. People have taken the trouble to come out of their homes in the scorching sun just to get a glimpse of the leader. Won’t they come to a nearby booth and vote? Not only these crowds but each member of that crowd will convince 100 other voters to vote for the TVK.”
The Karur stampede – at Vijay’s rally in September 2025, where at least 41 people died – would not hamper the party’s chances, he said, as people were viewing the incident as being orchestrated.
“If this Karur incident hadn’t happened, a storm of support (for Vijay) would have hit Tamil Nadu and it would have been a clean sweep,” Arunraj said. “But the incident did happen and the DMK was trying to put the blame on our leader, but the people of Tamil Nadu have seen what has happened. They understood how much it had pained our leader. And we have seen a wave of support from people who have emotionally started supporting the TVK because people do believe that conspiracy angle. There is a doubt in everybody’s mind.”
