Like a popular hero in Tamil cinema, Joseph Vijay shook Tamil Nadu politics last month when he was sworn in as the state’s ninth chief minister. He took charge of the government, breaking the dominance of traditional politics for decades. After completing the first month of his tenure as Chief Minister, his performance has now become the subject of much discussion in the state. This one month has shown determination and ambition in his ruleAnd in some cases he made elementary mistakes.
The most talked about aspect of Chief Minister Vijay’s tenure is the discipline and punctuality of his government offices. Instead of the traditional white dress of Tamil Nadu, he came to the office in modern formal attire. He comes to his office at the appointed time every day and works for seven straight hours every day. Not all of thatHe made it mandatory for all the officers working under him to attend on time. He also brought his own lunch from home and ate it very simply while confined to his office, which sent a deep and positive message to the top level of the administration.
Vijay kept his election promises and religious places in the first 15 daysIt has issued an important order to close 717 government liquor shops near educational institutions and traffic stations. Many employees were affected by this decision but the government arranged for them to be posted in other liquor shops. He also formed a special police force called Singhakanya headed by a senior police officer to ensure the safety of women and children. Forces have now been deployed in all districts of the state.
The new government has taken a strict stand against the irregularities and corruption of established businessmen and contractors. There are clear instructions to stop the commission system in the work of road and highway department. The government has formulated a visionary plan with 436 points to make the administrative system of the state more transparent and accountable. It is determined to introduce a smooth system to punish corrupt officials and facilitate the work of the general public. He took immediate steps to renovate and improve the existing 620 cheap canteens in the state for the benefit of poor and working class people.
Despite all these positive steps, the Chief Minister faced some controversies and criticism in the first month‘I have to go. The government’s initial appointment of an astrologer to a special post sparked outrage among fellow parties and the opposition, forcing the government to cancel the appointment within 24 hours. Similarly, it has been alleged that tenders for construction of water projects in one district were called for only six hours and later withdrawn. Opposition parties criticized the incident as administrative inexperience of the government. In his first public speech as Chief Minister, he was criticized for attacking opposition parties politically rather than government policies or plans. Of course, it is not possible to fully assess a government in just one month, but Vijay’s start shows that even if his regime is reform-minded, he will have to be more cautious in the coming days.