The Spirit of Vijay: A Beacon of Inspiration for the Bahujan Movement

"The day the people start thinking is the day change begins." — Periyar

Here, Vijay is not merely a film hero... he is an emotion. He is anger. He is hope. Transcending caste and religion, devoid of political lineage, without support from print or electronic media, and without alliances, he stood alone, relying solely on the youth, his own self-belief, and his image. Within two years of founding the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) party, he transformed Tamil Nadu politics. He dismantled Dravidian parties that had a 60-year history built on the foundations of Dravidian ideology. His victory sends a call to the Bahujan youth of Telangana: "We can do it too. We can win too!" We can learn the following lessons from their success:

1. Mass Base and Identity – The Foundation of Self-Respect: Vijay built his party with the common people. He converted fan clubs into a political cadre and established a foundation of self-respect ideology. He captivated the youth, especially the Gen-Z generation, proving that when youth awakens, nothing remains unchanged. Here is what BCs must learn: BC identity is our root, but it must not be our limit. Our movement must begin with BCs, merge with the broader Bahujan masses, and expand across Telangana alongside youth power. Our struggle must not be sectional; it must be a collective movement for self-respect. We must move in that direction. Only then will Bahujan political power be realized.

2. He Who Wins the Battle of Emotions Can Change History: Vijay first won the hearts of the people. For the past 16 years, through his social service organization, "Vijay Makkal Iyakkam," he undertook numerous social initiatives, particularly free tuition for students and honoring Class 10 toppers, thereby winning the public's heart before entering politics. His clean image and anger against injustice moved the youth, becoming the catalyst for their emotions. The BC movement must also articulate the injustices suffered by the people using data, fostering emotional resonance. We must instill the belief that we can change systems. We must speak in simple, heart-touching language. We must transform daily humiliations into collective anger. The slogan "What is ours is ours; the vote is ours, the seat is yours? Is this enough? No more, this ends now" must echo in every home. Our Telangana movement too is one driven by emotions.

3. Independence & Self-Respect: Vijay did not wait for anyone's mercy. He built his own platform with his own strength. The truth BCs and Bahujans must recognize is: Satisfying ourselves with a few positions in other parties will keep us slaves forever. All existing political parties are dominated by upper-caste hegemony. Without an independent political party, the true self-respect and political power of BCs and Bahujans are impossible. Put aside flags and agendas, join the Bahujan movement, and build your own political party.

4. Trust vs. Money: Money can buy some votes, but trust wins hearts. This is what Vijay proved. With public trust, money could do nothing. Vijay did not spend much money during the elections. This serves as a warning to those in the Telugu states who believe "Money rules politics." We must strive to win public trust without relying solely on money. When we earn the people's faith, the importance of money naturally diminishes. If money were truly the decisive power in elections, the wealthy would win forever, rendering the word "change" meaningless. Ruling parties would remain permanent. But since change is happening in democracy, it is clear that people are voting beyond money. Therefore, political forces must focus on winning public trust rather than distributing money. Winning the people's trust is the true foundation of political victory.

5. Movements Cannot Stand on Anger and Emotions Alone; Ideology Provides Direction, and Leaders Infuse Life into Ideology: In his political journey, TVK took the thoughts of great souls as its compass—individuals who laid the foundation for values like social justice, equality, and secularism:

1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – The father of the Indian Constitution and a great leader of social justice.
2. Periyar E.V. Ramasamy – A warrior who fought throughout his life for social reforms, women's rights, and equality.
3. K. Kamaraj – Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, renowned for transparency in administration and dedication to public welfare.

Similarly, TVK prominently included two historical female warriors who inspired its philosophy of "Selfless Service":

1. Velu Nachiyar – The first female ruler to fight against British colonial rule.
2. Anjalai Ammal – A freedom fighter and an ideal figure in social service.

This is a great lesson for the BC movement: Our movement must not be merely a reaction to current injustices; it must stand on a strong ideology, history, and leadership. We too have great souls to guide our thoughts. Telangana is not short of leaders. Sarvai Papanna, Doddi Kumarayya, Pandaga Sayanna, Chakali Ilamma, Sammaka-Sarala, Kondla Lakshmana Bapuji, P. Sivashankar, Professor Jayashankar, and the first-generation Dalit movement leaders like Bhagya Reddy Varma—all of them are living proofs of Telangana's self-respect. We must move forward by taking their legacy as our path. We must build our future with ideologies, for only a movement with ideology can change history.

6. Grassroots Cadre and Social Media are the Real Weapons: Despite the lack of mainstream print and electronic media support, Vijay moved forward with social media and a grassroots cadre. The courage to move forward regardless of government obstacles turned him into a true hero in the eyes of the people. Our strategy must be to have at least one worker per caste in every village and municipal ward, one message on every mobile phone, and every youth acting as a campaigner. Vijay connected with millions of people through social media, especially connecting with the youth via apps like Instagram. In fact, political analysts say he spent very little time in direct election campaigning, delivering less than 200 hours of election speeches. Yet, he effectively used social media to strongly convey his thoughts to the people. Our situation is the same. Today, we do not have significant support from print or electronic media. Therefore, we must make social media our primary weapon to reach every individual. We must fill every youth, every family, and every village with BC/Bahujan ideology. Only when we can take ideas to the people will the movement strengthen and change become possible.

7. Language of Respect and Anger: People's leader Vijay spoke with respect, and that is why he gained widespread support. There must be anger, but not vulgar language. A struggle conducted with respect attracts more people. Looking at the language of our leaders in Telangana makes us ashamed to call them our leaders. BC leaders too must learn to use respectful language.

8. Vijay is a Charismatic Figure, but the BC Movement is a Collective Struggle: We do not have such a charismatic individual leader. But our strength lies in hundreds of leaders, thousands of workers, and millions of youth. This is a movement, not the story of a single person; it is not something that comes with a person and leaves with them. It is a movement destined to create history permanently.

9. Right Timing & Creating History: Vijay entered when people were weary of old politics. He created history. Today, people in Telangana too are seeking change. There is an opportunity for an alternative political party. There is dissatisfaction among the people. We must mold this into a movement. We must shape the movement to reflect the aspirations of the people.

10. Political Lineage: Vijay came from an ordinary family. He had no political lineage. Yet, he was able to forge a strong bond with the people, which is why he succeeded politically. He was able to challenge Dravidian political parties that had ruled Tamil Nadu for nearly 60 years. However, he did not defeat the Dravidian ideology—he defeated the hegemony of the parties that had restricted that ideology to their own selfish politics. Here is a crucial point we must convey to the Bahujan people of the Telugu states: To win elections, political lineage is not necessary. We must teach that even an ordinary person with an ideology that wins hearts, clear thinking, and a connection with the people can rise in politics. We must take our ideology to the people in a way they understand and connect it to their lives. Only then will thinking begin among the people. That thinking leads to awareness; that awareness paves the way for change.

We are not alone; we are the power. Our movement is the self-respect of crores of people. Ideology is our foundation. Leaders are our strength. If the fire of anger within us is joined by the strength of ideology, no one can stop our victory. "For our share, for our honor, for our power," our movement must move forward. We must seize political power. Only then will the souls of those who sacrificed for Telangana find peace. Only then will a Social Telangana be established.

T. Chiranjeevulu Retired IAS Officer Chairman, BC Intellectuals Forum