Devolution of power will resolve a lot of problems

On a sunny day after Cyclone Michaung wreaked havoc in Chennai, calm prevailed on the swanky Greenways Road.

- RIYAD MATHEW & LAKSHMI SUBRAMANIAN

The gates of Ezhil, the official residence of Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, opened wide to let us in. The path took us past a tennis court—built in memory of his father, P.T.R. Palanivel Rajan—to his busy office.

Clad in his signature white shirt, paired with grey trousers, and with a dot of vermillion on his forehead, the minister walked to the door to welcome us.

He might be from a political dynasty—his father was close to DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi and his grandfather P.T. Rajan was chief minister of the Madras presidency—but he has combined it with his academic heft and modernity to carve a space for himself in today’s politics.

He is one of the strong opposition voices against the BJP and his work as Tamil Nadu finance minister earned him a national profile. Now in his new role as IT minister, PTR plans to make Tamil Nadu the leader in the field, overtaking Karnataka and Telangana.

He talked about the recent state elections and the INDIA bloc as he walked us to the dining table, where a delicious South Indian fare awaited. He also talked about the north-south debate, delimitation, international investment, and upcoming schemes in his first, exclusive interview as IT minister. Edited excerpts:

Q/ How do you see the Congress’s loss in the Hindi heartland affecting the INDIA bloc?