The recent assembly elections in Tamil Nadu served to exemplify a major revelation in the fight between two competing trends in politics across the world— the desire for change on one hand, and the continuity of the party in power on the other, interpreted generally as the “pro or anti-incumbency” factor. Tracing TN’s cult and psychopathic politics Although there were no strong indications of these factors in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the dominant narratives that underlined party campaigns conveyed a different message and operational realities. While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) carried out a popular campaign to let party chief and chief minister MK Stalin continue in his position. The party and its leadership maintained the role and relevance of idealogy as a driving factor in the state’s factor, aside another influential narrative that focussed on the Centre-state relationship. The National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) campaign— exemplified mainly by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)— highlighted the anti-incumbency factor, pushing for a resounding defeat of the DMK. …