Swaminathan Gurumurthy is the editor of the Tamil political weekly Thuglak. An auditor by training and an ideologue by conviction, he has spent decades at the intersection of economics, politics and civilisational debate. From his investigations into corporate power in the 1980s involving Reliance Industries to his critique of globalisation and role in shaping the intellectual ecosystem of the RSS, he has remained an influential and outspoken voice in India’s public life.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the DMK-Congress alliance, actor Vijay, Sanatana Dharma, Tamil Nadu politics and RSS.

Gurumurthy outlines the structural and ideological challenges the BJP faces in Tamil Nadu, shaped by decades of Dravidian politics and alliance-driven electoral dynamics.

He also speaks candidly about Ramnath Goenka, Dhirubhai Ambani, Indira Gandhi-era politics and his clashes with corporate power in India.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction

02:14 - Dravidian Politics

14:43 - DMK-Congress Alliance

21:25 - Can Vijay Challenge DMK?

25:42 - Tamil Nadu’s Cultural Ethos

33:56 - Electoral Shifts in Tamil Nadu

40:43 - BJP’s Challenge in Tamil Nadu

48:05 - Tamil Cultural Media

51:46 - Anti-Hindu Politics in Tamil Nadu

55:58 - Story Behind ‘Guru’ Movie

58:51 - Ties with Ramnath Goenka

1:08:20 - Dhirubhai Ambani Investigations

1:10:35 - Advisory Role in Corporate Family Disputes

1:17:12 - Political Engagement Across Parties

1:24:28 - Congress’s Leadership Crisis

1:32:58 - West Asia Conflict

1:39:33 - BJP’s Outreach to Minorities

1:49:03 - Views on the Gandhi Family

1:54:21 - BJP-RSS Coordination