Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi participates in the swearing-in ceremony of TVK Chief Vijay as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Cartoon by Awantha Artigala published in the Daily Mirror on May 5, 2026

TVK’s Anna Nagar candidate V.K. Ramkumar receiving the winning certificate from the Returning Officer at Loyola College
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu

Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay during a public meeting ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, in Chennai, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
| Photo Credit: R SENTHILKUMAR

It has been over two years since top Tamil actor Vijay launched his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Yet, with no electoral debut so far, there is little clarity on the party’s potential vote share in the upcoming Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections.

Within the party, optimism runs high, with some functionaries informally projecting a vote share of around 25%. Outside, however, estimates vary widely. A section of observers believes TVK could mirror the early performance of late Vijayakant’s DMDK, securing about 8–10% in its first outing. Others suggest the party could push closer to 15%.

Predicting electoral outcomes in Tamil Nadu has never been straightforward, particularly in Assembly elections. The entry of TVK and of Mr. Vijay, a political greenhorn with Chief Ministerial ambitions, has only complicated the arithmetic further.

The party skipped the last Lok Sabha polls and the February 2025 Erode (East) Assembly bypoll. Consequently, its actual support base remains untested. Its decision to go it alone has set the stage for a four-cornered contest in Tamil Nadu.

Was this strategic restraint—avoiding early electoral exposure—a deliberate move by Mr. Vijay to keep his political capital intact ahead of a high-stakes debut?

“Mr. Vijay knows what he is doing. Like in his movies, he is going by the script in politics as well,” said Professor G. Palanithurai, former dean of Students’ Welfare at Gandhigram Rural Institute.

There is a theory that Dravidian rhetoric has killed intellectualism in the State. Professor Palanithurai, who specialises in grass-roots democracy, said he has been visiting campuses, and the lack of political discourse in higher educational institutions has led to the youth gravitating towards the actor over time.

Besides, corruption has been regularised. The ruling DMK and Opposition AIADMK accuse each other of corruption but never take action against each other when in power. “Mr. Vijay has sensed it. That is why he is focusing on anti-corruption to attract voters. Vijayakanth also fought on the anti-corruption theme, but Mr. Vijay is more popular than Vijayakanth. He attracts huge crowds, especially youth. Even the ruling DMK can’t bring in such crowds voluntarily,” he said.

While crediting the Dravidian parties with their developmental policies, both social and industrial, the academician, however, said politics has now become corrupt. “Mr. Vijay is a film personality. He understands the psychology of the masses. The rule of law has now become the ruling party’s law. That is why he is taking on the ruling governments,” he added.

“On the flip side, unlike [actor-turned-Chief Ministers] MGR and Jayalalithaa, Mr. Vijay is not close to the rank and file. He is in isolation all the time. Also, the TVK’s second line of leadership is not impressive. However, Tamil Nadu’s peculiar politics lacks a collective leadership as Dravidianism has shown the way to herding. Mass appeal counts,” he asserted.

Against the ideologically inclined DMK and politically masterful late M. Karunanidhi, it was the personal charisma and political acumen of MGR and J. Jayalalithaa that had kept the AIADMK in power for a longer time than its arch-rival. Mr. Vijay, with his mass appeal, seems to be gradually filling the charismatic leaders’ role.

But is that adequate to penetrate the world of politics? “Popularity in cinema doesn’t always bring votes. We can’t draw a parallel between Mr. Vijay and MGR. MGR had a strong hold in the party, and he broke ranks while he was the treasurer of the DMK. He campaigned and worked hard for all those years. He also brought the underprivileged and the subaltern into his movies. The titles would resonate with communities, like Vivasayi, Padagotti and Meenava Nanban,” said P. Ramajayam, an academician.

“Grass-roots politics requires social and political mobilisation, involving several groups like minorities and subalterns”, he said. “Mr. Vijay’s popularity seems to be higher among the youth. But so far, he has not been tested electorally. He is confident and wants only positive results,” he added.

Long-time political observers feel that apart from the mass appeal, the party needs social and political mobilisation. The TVK should have a strength of about 300 to 400 cadre per booth to secure around 100 votes each. If the party garners 15% of votes, Mr. Vijay would have a future as a politician.

“Mr Vijay is certainly a large crowd puller, and the crowds are organic. Only two leaders do not pay for crowds— [Naam Tamilar Katchi’s] Seeman and Mr. Vijay,” said R. Kannan, biographer of former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and MGR.

Asked if Mr. Vijay would succeed, he says, “May 4 [election counting date] will give the answer.”

Published – April 07, 2026 05:58 pm IST

The DMK on Sunday (October 12, 2025) said there was an attempt to mislead the Supreme Court by a couple of petitioners in the Karur stampede case. 

A Tamil YouTube channel had broadcast interviews with a litigant, who said he was unaware of the petition filed in his name. A woman said her husband, who had deserted her years ago, now moved the court for a CBI probe claiming to represent the interests of her child who died in the stampede at actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally last month. 

Chennai:

Actor-politician Vijay has got a ‘Y’ scale security cover, which generally comprises an 8-person entourage. According to reports, the security cover for Mr Vijay, who launched his political party – Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) – last year, has only been provided in Tamil Nadu.

The Y-level security detail includes at least one to two National Security Guard (NSG) commandos along with civil police officers. This level is generally assigned to individuals who face specific threats.

There are four types of security details – X, Y, Z and Z+ – provided by the Centre, which are assigned based on an individual’s perceived risk level. 

The most basic level of security cover, X, comprises two armed civil police officers. The personnel rotate every eight hours, totalling six officers on duty throughout the day. This category does not include any specialised commandos.

In the Z security cover, there is an entourage of 22 personnel, including 4-5 NSG commandos and civil police. This category includes an escort vehicle for added security. 

The highest tier is Z+ security, which offers the most comprehensive protection with an entourage of 55 personnel. This includes 10 NSG commandos and is typically reserved for individuals facing significant threats, such as top government officials and influential personalities. The Z+ level often involves additional coverage from the Special Protection Group (SPG), especially for the Prime Minister and their family.

Mr Vijay launched the TVK in February 2024 and is preparing to contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2026.

Over the past few days, the talk in Tamil Nadu’s political circles has centered around actor Vijay’s debut speech and its impact.

One rally in Vikravandi was attended by several tens of thousands of party supporters and cadres. In fact, in recent years, no other political party launch had seen the kind of crowd that Vijay had attracted. So clearly, Tamil Nadu politics has got back a crowd puller after the deaths of Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa. So that is a positive for Vijay. At least 50% of the crowd that turned out at the rally was an organic crowd, and it comprised a significant section of youth and in good measure women as well.

Now let’s take a look at the speech he made. This was the rally, where Vijay chose to explain where his party stands in terms of its ideologies. Eight months ago, when he mooted the idea of floating the TVK, he had made it clear that his politics would be against corruption and divisiveness. He has stuck to that script in a speech which appeared to be more scripted and well practiced and delivered in a very high, powerful tone.

He explained that his party will be ideologically opposed to sectarian forces. At the same time, the party’s political enemy, according to him, will be a family that has been ruling Tamil Nadu in the name of Dravida model invoking the names of Periyar and Anna.

In fact, he explained that he does not want to name anybody or indulge in name calling, but he left no one in doubt that he was ideologically opposed to the BJP and politically opposed to the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu. He remained silent about the AIADMK, a political party which has cumulatively ruled Tamil Nadu for the longest period.

What were the other things that stood out in his speech? How would it impact the ruling DMK?

Script and presentation: D. Suresh Kumar

Editing: Shibu Narayan

Chennai:

Tamil actor Vijay took on the state’s ruling DMK in his first political speech at the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally, saying one family is looting the state through underhand dealing. The mega meet of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam earlier today, marked his formal launch into politics.

“They do underground dealing and allege Facism, to cheat minorities… In the name of Dravidian model you are cheating people,” he said. 

He also took a tacit dig at the BJP. “Hate politics is our enemy… divisive politics and hatred is our enemy… i will maintain political decorum and political decency… this crowd is not for cash but for a cause… There is no looking back,” he added.

“There is a group that has been creating divisions within society. Those who create divisions are our first enemy. Those who claim to uphold Dravidian ideology but are exploiting Tamil Nadu as a family enterprise are our next rivals. The BJP is our ideological opponent while the DMK is our political adversary,” said Vijay addressing a massive gathering in Villupuram district’s Vikravandi.

The entry of the 50-year-old star comes amid a political vacuum in the bipolar state. The Opposition AIADMK is yet to recover from the death of party icon and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

The actor made his aim clear.

“I am not here as extra luggage, I want to be a primary force in Tamil Nadu…,” added Vijay, who had just confessed that he once did not think it necessary to enter politics. “Earlier I thought why politics. But isn’t that selfish to think about myself?” he had said.  

The superstar also announced that his party would contest all 234 seats in the 2026 assembly elections in the state. He also made it clear that he was not averse to power sharing. 

His party, he said, would adopt Dravidian icon Periyar’s policy on social justice and women’s empowerment. 

But there was a rider – “We will not take Periyar’s ‘No god’ stand, we are against nobody’s faith”.  The other icons of his party, he said, were Kamaraj, NR Ambedkar, freedom fighter Velu Nachiar and revolutionary Anjalai Ammal women icons.
 

The TVK party leader will address an expected crowd of 1 lakh at the venue at V.Salai in the town.
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

Vikravandi town in Villupuram is all decked up to play host to the first public rally of actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), eight months after he floated the party.

The TVK party, which is yet to test the electoral waters and is gearing up for the 2026 Assembly elections, has already generated intense interest in political circles.

A massive dais has been erected on an 85-acre site with a seating arrangement for nearly a lakh people.

The whole of the venue wore a festive look with hundreds of huge party flags in red and yellow covering the entire ground.

Huge cutouts of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, B.R. Ambedkar, social reformer Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy, freedom fighter Anjalai Ammal and Chola, Pandya and Chera kings were erected around the venue.

Functionaries of TVK said they left no stone unturned to make the event a big success and a record-breaking one.

By 8.30 a.m., all roads leading to Vikravandi witnessed huge influx of vehicles and vans carrying fans from the across the State to hear actor Vijay announce the policies of his political party.

Mr. Vijay, who arrived in Vikravandi on Saturday (October 26, 2024) night and stayed in a caravan, will address an expected crowd of 1 lakh at the venue at V.Salai in the town.

He will hoist the party flag on a 100-metre high pole through remote control. An 800-metre long ramp has been erected along the dais.

The actor will alone hog the limelight during the massive show of strength planned in true film style. The main entrance to the venue resembling Fort St. George has been erected.

He is also expected to be the lone star speaker at the three-hour meeting, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Security arrangements

Massive security arrangements have been made for the meeting, termed as one of the biggest political shows in recent months.

Over 6,000 policemen drawn from Villupuram and various other districts are being deployed at the venue. The security arrangements are being supervised by Inspector General of Police (North Zone) Asra Garg.

As many as 22 ambulances and 18 medical teams have also been stationed for any health exigency at the venue.