'New Kids' on the political block: Can Jan Suraaj & TVK challenge decades-old political establishments?

In a political landscape long dominated by legacy parties and time-tested alliances, two newcomers are preparing to make their mark on Indian democracy. One is Jan Suraaj Party in Bihar, led by seasoned political strategist Prashant Kishor. The other is Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), a fledgling political outfit in Tamil Nadu founded by actor-turned-politician Vijay.

While their paths, personas, and political backdrops differ sharply, both aim to disrupt the status quo in their respective states during the upcoming 2025 and 2026 assembly elections.

Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj

Prashant Kishor, widely known for crafting winning campaigns for several major political figures across the country, has now taken the electoral plunge himself. His party, Jan Suraaj contested four seats in the Bihar assembly by-elections in November 2024. While it did not win any, the performance was notable for a party just a month old, with limited campaign time and minimal visibility in the contested constituencies.

Jan Suraaj secured an overall vote share of around 10%, finishing third in Tarari, Belaganj, and Imamganj, and fourth in Ramgarh. Jitendra Paswan, the party’s candidate from Imamganj, was the standout performer, securing over 37,000 votes. “Our party is just a month old, and we got the symbol ten days before the polls. The elections were held where there was no Jan Suraaj Yatra and party was building base. Still, we got overall 10% vote share,” Kishor had then noted.

Jan Suraaj is pitching itself as a clean, grassroots-focused alternative in a state where political loyalty has long been split among entrenched players like the JD(U), RJD, and BJP.

Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam

In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, actor Vijay, one of biggest stars of Southern cinema, had launched TVK a year backwith the promise of clean governance and a youth-driven political transformation.

Though the party is still in its infancy, Vijay has focused his efforts on building a robust party infrastructure, emphasizing grassroots organization and booth-level outreach.

On Sunday, Vijay addressed party workers at a booth committee meeting held in Coimbatore, emphasizing the importance of discipline, dedication, and corruption-free governance. “Once TVK comes to power, it will be a corruption-free government without a single culprit holding any position,” he declared, urging members to treat polling day like a celebration.

Unlike Jan Suraaj, which has already tested the electoral waters, TVK is still in the preparatory phase, eyeing the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as its electoral debut.

A new political equation?

Both Jan Suraaj and TVK are challenging decades-old political establishments—RJD-JD(U) in Bihar and DMK-AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. Their emergence signals a shift in voter sentiment, especially among youth and first-time voters who may be seeking alternatives to traditional political choices.