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The 2026 Tamil Nadu elections will be a straight fight between his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the ruling DMK, actor-turned-politician Vijay declared on Wednesday, expressing full confidence in his party’s chances of victory.
Speaking at TVK’s special general council meeting in Mamallapuram, Vijay launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister MK Stalin and the DMK government, claiming his party would “rewrite Tamil Nadu’s political history” in the upcoming assembly polls.
The political confrontation marks a significant escalation in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, where the DMK and its rival AIADMK have dominated for decades. Vijay’s entry represents the latest attempt by a film star to convert screen popularity into political capital in a state with a long history of actor-politicians.
Vijay described the recent Karur stampede tragedy as a “temporary hurdle” that he alleged was deliberately engineered by the “ruling DMK ecosystem.” Reading from the Supreme Court’s verdict on the case, he accused the government of suppressing the truth about the incident.
“For months, we have endured unbearable pain and remained silent out of respect for our people’s emotions,” Vijay told party members. “But lies and malicious propaganda woven around us by the ruling ecosystem must be torn apart through truth and justice.”
The Karur stampede, which resulted in multiple casualties during a TVK event earlier this year, has become a flashpoint in Tamil Nadu politics, with Vijay’s party and the DMK government trading accusations over responsibility for the tragedy.
In a direct challenge to Stalin, Vijay questioned the government’s “moral legitimacy to remain in power” and criticized the Chief Minister for what he described as “baseless accusations” made in the Assembly.
“How can a leader who speaks of magnanimity spew such venom?” Vijay asked, adding that “the people of Tamil Nadu are watching.” He accused the DMK of operating with “the arrogance of absolute power.”
The actor-politician claimed the Supreme Court had “severely reprimanded” the state government for undermining fair investigation and public trust in relation to the stampede case. “Even the apex court questioned why the government’s advocates stood silent,” he said, suggesting that “the people’s faith in this government lies buried.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 assembly elections, Vijay predicted a two-way contest between TVK and DMK. “This contest will be fierce. Victory is ours, we will triumph, make history, and restore people’s faith,” he declared confidently.
Vijay launched the TVK in February 2024 after years of speculation about his political entry. His move follows in the footsteps of Tamil cinema legends like M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, who successfully transitioned from film to politics. Current opposition leader and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has not yet responded to Vijay’s assertion of a direct TVK-DMK contest, which implicitly diminishes the role of his AIADMK party.
Political analysts note that Vijay faces significant challenges in establishing TVK as a major political force in such a short timeframe. The party’s organizational structure is still developing, and it will need to build grassroots support across Tamil Nadu’s 234 assembly constituencies to pose a serious challenge to the established Dravidian parties.
The DMK, which returned to power in 2021 after a decade in opposition, has dismissed Vijay’s claims. Party spokespersons have characterized his statements as political posturing designed to gain attention rather than reflecting political reality.
As Tamil Nadu’s political temperature rises ahead of the 2026 elections, Vijay’s confrontational stance against the DMK signals his intention to position TVK as the principal opposition force in the state, potentially reshaping Tamil Nadu’s traditional bipolar political landscape.
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6 Comments
The allegations of false propaganda and power arrogance against the DMK government are quite serious. Vijay will need to back up his claims with solid evidence if he wants to sway the voters.
This upcoming showdown between TVK and DMK will be interesting to watch. It’s good to see new political players emerge and challenge the long-standing dominance of the traditional parties in Tamil Nadu.
This political showdown between Vijay’s TVK and the ruling DMK will certainly add more drama and uncertainty to Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. It remains to be seen whether the voters are ready for a change.
The entry of film stars into Tamil Nadu politics is not new, but Vijay’s ambitions seem to be more serious this time. It will be interesting to see how his party’s message resonates with the voters.
Vijay’s accusations of false propaganda and power arrogance by the DMK government are quite serious. It will be important to see how this political drama unfolds and whether the voters buy into his narrative.
The Karur stampede tragedy seems to have become a political flashpoint. Vijay’s claims that the government is suppressing the truth need to be thoroughly investigated. Transparency is crucial in such sensitive matters.