Madurai: A youth-led wave has propelled TVK into the political mainstream, with the party contesting an Assembly election for the first time and winning 107 seats, according to the report. Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister, a result that the report says caught DMK and AIADMK off guard.
During the campaign, the report notes, Vijay’s rallies drew loud youth participation, and social media “reels” backing TVK were largely driven by young supporters. While DMK and AIADMK also have youth wings, the report claims their youth presence is smaller compared to TVK.
Within DMK, the report points to debates over what qualifies as “youth” and how much space younger members get in ticket distribution. It cites remarks by party leader M.K. Stalin about limiting youth-wing membership to those under 30, and mentions internal criticism—such as a meme shared by former MLA Ezhilan—calling for denying tickets to those above 60.
TVK, the report says, fielded candidates across 234 constituencies, with about 90% described as youth. It adds that 29-year-old Keerthana was appointed a minister and 30-year-old Sabarinathan as chief whip, with more young faces expected in a future cabinet expansion.
In AIADMK, the report notes that youth and young women’s wings exist, but many members are over 40, with several younger cadres active in the IT wing. It adds that general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in a meeting with district secretaries over internal issues, indirectly referred to TVK’s rise and urged the party to bring more youngsters into its ranks—an appeal echoed by party members calling for youth to be given space and guidance.
