The Politics of Pomp and Circumstance A recent Independence Day celebration has sparked controversy in Tamil Nadu, threatening to expose Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's carefully managed image.
At the center of the maelstrom is actress Trisha Krishnan, whose front row seat and exchange of salutes with Vijay have been seized upon by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) as evidence of a deeper malaise in the Tamil Nadu government.
The DMK's sharp attack on Vijay, published in its mouthpiece Murasoli, is less about Trisha herself than it is about the perceived blurring of lines between personal relationships and official duties.