As Tamil Nadu approaches another assembly election, its political landscape reflects a paradox that has come to define the state. There is continuity in Dravidian dominance, welfare-driven governance and a political culture resistant to religious polarisation.

At the same time, there is churn within the opposition, among emerging players and in the subtle recalibration of alliances. When read together, these currents point less towards upheaval than towards consolidation, particularly for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) under chief minister M.K. Stalin.

Tamil Nadu’s resistance to Hindutva politics remains its defining feature. The ideological foundations laid by E.V. Ramasamy continue to shape politics here, privileging social justice, linguistic identity and rationalism over religious mobilisation. This living framework continues to inform voter expectations and political strategy. As Chennai-based academic C. Lakshmanan observes, elections in Tamil Nadu are not fought on identity alone but on dignity, welfare and rights.

It is within this framework that the BJP has struggled to find its feet. Despite expanding its organisational base and investing heavily in leadership projection, its strategies have often appeared misaligned with the state’s political sensibilities. Efforts to foreground religious identity have found limited traction, while attempts to cobble alliances together have been constrained by regional parties unwilling to cede space.

As journalist M. Satheesh Kumar puts it, the BJP’s problem........

© National Herald