As superstar-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) makes a stunning debut in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections – surging towards a win with leads in 108 seats, just short of the 118-seat majority in the 234-member House – it has unsettled the state’s political landscape centred on the Dravidian ideology. However, history shows that the electoral debuts of parties in states across the country have rarely been smooth sailing. An analysis of 38 parties’ debuts in the Assembly polls – 13 in Tamil Nadu and 25 in other states – shows that only a handful of parties have found success in their first bid, and fewer have been able to convert it into a long-standing political presence. Tamil Nadu debuts Vijay’s entry to the Tamil Nadu fray is the continuation of an established tradition in the state – of film industry giants looking to convert their popularity into political influence.…