TVK Vijay News | “Coalition Of Principle, We Will Finish A Full Term”

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:01]Okay, so what next for Vijaya Sarkar?

[00:00:04]What are the key objectives that's there? Does it see a period of instability? Joining me is Tamil Nadu's Health Minister TVK General Secretary KG Arunraj, one of the first voices to speak one-on-one from the newly formed TVK government with its full cabinet now. Thanks very much, Mr. Arunraj, for joining us here on the show this evening. The cabinet is now full with the IUML and the VCK being part of this government. It's Tamil Nadu's first ever coalition government. Also, may I say one of the youngest and one filled with first-time MLAs and ministers like yourself without any kind of prior experience in running a government. How would you describe the mood in the cabinet? Is it one of nervous excitement or confidence? Have you all, first of all, figured out the way around Fort St. George, which can be quite a maze?

[00:00:56]Thank you. Thank you for our wishes.

[00:00:59]And as you mentioned, this is Tamil Nadu's first ever coalition government.

[00:01:03]If you had known, our you know, very even in our very first party conference at Vikravandi, our leader had declared that sharing power is a one of our key principles of the party.

[00:01:14]And as declared by the party, we delivered delivered on it, and we have given the due shares of the alliance party alliance alliance partners in this government.

[00:01:23]Previously, these parties which had ruled Tamil Nadu for the past 60 years, they came to power based on their alliance strength.

[00:01:30]But, after the elections, they had never had any intention to give share in power to the alliance partners. This is against the democratic principles because this this parties, they came to power based on alliance strength.

[00:01:44]But, unlike these parties, our leader had delivered on it, and this is one of the key milestone political key milestone in political history of Tamil Nadu.

[00:01:52]And coming to this question of mood of the cabinet, we are neither anxious nor worried. We are cool and composed. And you mentioned about inexperienced ministers. See, what is experienced I mean meant here? Because the parties DMK ADMK ministers they are experienced in what?

[00:02:16]Are they experienced in governance, good governance? Have they delivered on it?

[00:02:19]They are experienced in something else.

[00:02:21]They are experienced in how to manipulate the system, how to what squeeze the system to their own well-being. They are very very experienced in corruption. So, unlike they unlike them, we are experienced in this ideology because our leader has clearly mentioned what is our roadmap, what is our vision, what is the expectation of the people.

[00:02:41]We may be inexperienced in in this governance, but we are very very experienced in our principles.

[00:02:48]Okay, so we are very confident, we are very cool, composed, and we want to deliver on the ex- You know, on that note, there are many many political questions to ask you, but before I get to them, I want to focus first on perhaps a people's issue.

[00:03:02]You're a doctor yourself and a former IRS officer. Health is an extremely important public ministry. What's your big objective and target? What do you believe are the key challenges before Tamil Nadu's health department?

[00:03:16]See, education and health are one of the key fundamental rights of the people, basic human rights. Unfortunately, the situation is that people tend to go to private schools or private hospitals even if they don't have money because the amount of faith in the government system has has gradually decreased.

[00:03:36]People they like even the poor or middle class people, they want their children to be in the government school even at the cost of borrowings. Same is situation with the government hospitals here. Uh this faith in in government hospital that we can go confidently to the government hospitals and get a proper care. Um one of the reasons why people hesitate to go to the government hospitals is the cleanliness, the way they are being treated, and that basic facilities like waiting room, restrooms, all these areas. That experience of the That experience of going to the hospital is very uh needs a lot of improvement. And we want Our leader has clearly mandated that we should improve the patient experience in the government hospital.

[00:04:19]And we want to focus on it. Right.

[00:04:21]Patient experience needs to improve in public health sector. Important point there, but let me come to the more important political questions of the moment. At the moment with your coalition partners, sir, you have exactly the support of 117 MLAs. The Left has given outside support with its four MLAs. Is there a sense of nervousness, a threat of instability to this government? The DMK, you see, has repeatedly mentioned and warned that this government will not complete a full term. Do you all fear that you may not get a full term in office, a full 5-year term?

[00:04:54]Currently, no. We are very, very confident because I'll tell you the reason. This is not just a political alliance. This is an ideological alliance cuz we share common ideology.

[00:05:04]This alliance has been built on our shared principles and values.

[00:05:07]We all stand for state's rights. We all stand for secular social justice. And we strongly object We strongly oppose the fascist tendencies of whichever party is there at the union level. So, we are very clear of this ideological principles. And this is what which gives strength to this alliance. And also And also Left parties, our other parties which are currently supporting us, they They may say they're going to withdraw if if there is if there is issues of corruption or if or issues of maladministration, which is never going to happen under the leadership of our leader. So, when there is good governance, then peoples are happy. When people feel that this is a party which they have voted for and they are doing good. Why would they Why would they withdraw the support at the cost of getting getting the anger of people? Which they would never Any politically savvy party will never do it. But you know, there are many other factors that also make political decisions. Do you see your alliance with the VCK, IUML, Left and the Congress as a long-term one? In a sense, do you see the TVK going into the 2029 parliamentary elections with this alliance?

[00:06:21]As I said, we share this common ideology, common values. And definitely, we would like to continue this alliance for the long term.

[00:06:29]I mean, this is for the good of the country Not only for the good of the state, but also for the good of the country.

[00:06:35]You know, when you speak about countries or center-state confrontation has been an important aspect of politics in Tamil Nadu. Uh you know, we already have the row over the Tamil anthem uh being played at the Lok Bhavan. Is the TVK bracing for a political confrontation with the BJP and the center?

[00:06:55]I mean, our leader is very clear. We stand for state's rights, and we will strongly oppose any move of the Union Government to wherever we are state's rights are crippled upon. For example, for the share of education, this funds are not being released. And there are also uh many ideas of the Union Government like one nation, one election. All these issues on CAA All these issues which affect the minorities. Whenever these sort of issues are there, we are very, very firm that we will oppose the Union Government's move. But at the same time at the same time, we want to work with the Union for the common good of the people. So, we we really like uh to have a smoother relationship with the Union Government because India is a federal state, and we are very, very We want to uh follow the letter of letter and the we want to follow this federal principle cooperative federalism letter and spirit.

[00:07:50]Okay, confrontation not for the sake of confrontation but on the basis of issues and principles says Arun Raj. Thanks very much Mr. K.G. Arun Raj for joining us here on the southern view.