Why victory of Vijay's TVK has the blood and belief of DMK
Born from the same Dravidian grammar shaped by Periyar and carried forward by M Karunanidhi, Vijay's TVK repackages DMK's legacy. It has eaten directly into the DMK's votes on around 70 seats. It caused more damage to the DMK than to the AIADMK-BJP alliance.
Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has stormed into the lead in Tamil Nadu's 2026 Assembly polls, a shift that few saw coming. Yet there were clear signs. Last year, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who advised the TVK, predicted that the party could secure a significant 15-20% vote share if Vijay entered the fray. Axis My India's exit poll went further, projecting 98 to 120 seats for the debutant party. Many dismissed these forecasts as too bold. Today, as counting progresses, those numbers look remarkably prescient. What is interesting is that the TVK's rise seems to be at the expense of the DMK, not the AIADMK-BJP alliance.
As counting began on Monday after record 85% polling on April 23, early trends showed the TVK ahead in more than 100 of the 234 seats. The ruling DMK was struggling below 60 as of 1.30 pm, while the AIADMK-BJP alliance was around 65, at the time of the publishing of this report.
The development is important because, for the first time in decades, Tamil Nadu's long-standing two-party dominance looks broken. Actor Vijay, contesting his very first election, has turned his two-year-old party into a major force almost overnight.
Over two years ago, India Today Digital wrote about the political vacuum and why Vijay could be a superhit in Tamil Nadu politics.
The results coming in show that the TVK has directly struck at DMK's support base. Political observers note that the seats TVK is winning match almost exactly those the DMK is losing.
Many voters who once backed the DMK, especially younger ones in cities like Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, have switched straight to Vijay's TVK. Why? Anti-incumbency has played a big role. The DMK government under Chief Minister MK Stalin faced loud complaints about corruption, unkept promises on jobs and women's safety, and a sense that the party had grown too comfortable in power.
Vijay's campaign hammered these points without pulling punches. His rallies drew huge crowds of first-time voters and families, promising a "clean" alternative focussed on jobs, education and a drug-free Tamil Nadu.
In effect, TVK did not just split the anti-DMK vote, it ate into the DMK's own base.
THALAPATHY VIJAY'S FANDOM CAME STRAIGHT INTO POLITICS
TVK itself is brand new. Vijay announced the party on February 2, 2024.
It had no history, and no experience in government. Yet it fought alone in all 234 seats, rejecting tie-ups with anyone. That independence seemingly appealed to voters tired of the same old faces. Vijay, one of Tamil cinema's biggest superstars with a massive following across the southern states, brought his massive fan following, the "Thalapathy" fans, straight into politics.
Many turned up at booths wearing party colours and chanting "Vetri Nichayam", which translates to "victory is certain". The high turnout, especially among the young, has helped TVK surge in the polls.
HOW VIJAY'S TVK HAS THE BLOOD AND BELIEF OF DMK
What does the TVK stand for? Its ideology mixes Tamil pride with social justice and secular values. The party draws from leaders like Periyar, Ambedkar and Kamaraj — focussing on equality for all births, a two-language policy and strong democracy.
It calls itself centre-left and talks of "egalitarianism" and helping the common man. At the same time, Vijay has been blunt about his enemies.
He labels the DMK the "political enemy" because of what he calls dynastic rule and corruption.
At the same time, the TVK calls the BJP its "ideological enemy" — a force he says pushes divisive, right-wing politics that goes against Tamil Nadu's secular and Dravidian spirit. Vijay has ruled out any alliance with the BJP, calling it "fascist" and refusing to surrender the party's self-respect.
This clear stand has helped TVK position itself as a proud Tamil voice that rejects both the old Dravidian establishment and national parties seen as outsiders.
This stance positioned the TVK as a genuine alternative in Tamil Nadu.
For decades, voters chose between the DMK and the AIADMK, both claiming the Dravidian mantle of social justice and Tamil pride. Many felt both had become stale. DMK has been hit by corruption charges, and the AIADMK has weakened after the death of its long-time leader J Jayalalithaa.
The TVK stepped into that vacuum with a fresh face, and a superstar leader. Vijay's films had already built the connect with the masses, and the TVK did not need decades of cadre-building. The party now looks set to reshape how politics is done in the state.
DOES THIS HURT THE BJP's PROSPECTS IN THE SOUTH?
Will Vijay's victory make the BJP's inroads into Tamil Nadu more difficult? Almost certainly yes. The BJP has long struggled to make deep inroads in the state, largely because Dravidian parties frame it as a north Indian, Hindi-imposing force that threatens Tamil identity.
TVK's strong anti-BJP line and its success without any alliance means the party has captured anti-incumbency votes that might otherwise have gone to the AIADMK-BJP combination in past elections. By refusing to play second fiddle, the TVK has kept Tamil Nadu politics firmly local and secular. Any future BJP strategy here will now have to deal with a powerful third player that actively opposes its ideology.
Vijay's success also revives a special Tamil Nadu tradition, of film stars turning into political leaders. Many said that Vijay could become the next MGR, who has acted in dozens of films playing a hero who fights for the poor. MG Ramachandran used that image to lay the foundation of the AIADMK in 1972. Five years later, in 1977, he became the CM of Tamil Nadu, ruling until his death in 1987.
His co-star, Jayalalithaa, followed the same path, leading the AIADMK for years and serving as chief minister multiple times.
What sets Vijay apart is the speed and scale. MGR spent years building a political base before launching his party. Vijay jumped straight from the screen to the ballot in just two years and appears to have achieved what many call "MGR-plus" — bigger instant success, larger crowds supporting him, and a sharper focus on anti-corruption.
For ordinary Tamils, this election has signalled a big change. A new party led by a beloved star has shown that fresh ideas can challenge even the strongest political machinery. The rise of Vijay's TVK comes at a direct cost to the DMK.
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Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has stormed into the lead in Tamil Nadu's 2026 Assembly polls, a shift that few saw coming. Yet there were clear signs. Last year, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who advised the TVK, predicted that the party could secure a significant 15-20% vote share if Vijay entered the fray. Axis My India's exit poll went further, projecting 98 to 120 seats for the debutant party. Many dismissed these forecasts as too bold. Today, as counting progresses, those numbers look remarkably prescient. What is interesting is that the TVK's rise seems to be at the expense of the DMK, not the AIADMK-BJP alliance.
As counting began on Monday after record 85% polling on April 23, early trends showed the TVK ahead in more than 100 of the 234 seats. The ruling DMK was struggling below 60 as of 1.30 pm, while the AIADMK-BJP alliance was around 65, at the time of the publishing of this report.
The development is important because, for the first time in decades, Tamil Nadu's long-standing two-party dominance looks broken. Actor Vijay, contesting his very first election, has turned his two-year-old party into a major force almost overnight.
Over two years ago, India Today Digital wrote about the political vacuum and why Vijay could be a superhit in Tamil Nadu politics.
The results coming in show that the TVK has directly struck at DMK's support base. Political observers note that the seats TVK is winning match almost exactly those the DMK is losing.
Many voters who once backed the DMK, especially younger ones in cities like Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, have switched straight to Vijay's TVK. Why? Anti-incumbency has played a big role. The DMK government under Chief Minister MK Stalin faced loud complaints about corruption, unkept promises on jobs and women's safety, and a sense that the party had grown too comfortable in power.
Vijay's campaign hammered these points without pulling punches. His rallies drew huge crowds of first-time voters and families, promising a "clean" alternative focussed on jobs, education and a drug-free Tamil Nadu.
In effect, TVK did not just split the anti-DMK vote, it ate into the DMK's own base.
THALAPATHY VIJAY'S FANDOM CAME STRAIGHT INTO POLITICS
TVK itself is brand new. Vijay announced the party on February 2, 2024.
It had no history, and no experience in government. Yet it fought alone in all 234 seats, rejecting tie-ups with anyone. That independence seemingly appealed to voters tired of the same old faces. Vijay, one of Tamil cinema's biggest superstars with a massive following across the southern states, brought his massive fan following, the "Thalapathy" fans, straight into politics.
Many turned up at booths wearing party colours and chanting "Vetri Nichayam", which translates to "victory is certain". The high turnout, especially among the young, has helped TVK surge in the polls.
HOW VIJAY'S TVK HAS THE BLOOD AND BELIEF OF DMK
What does the TVK stand for? Its ideology mixes Tamil pride with social justice and secular values. The party draws from leaders like Periyar, Ambedkar and Kamaraj — focussing on equality for all births, a two-language policy and strong democracy.
It calls itself centre-left and talks of "egalitarianism" and helping the common man. At the same time, Vijay has been blunt about his enemies.
He labels the DMK the "political enemy" because of what he calls dynastic rule and corruption.
At the same time, the TVK calls the BJP its "ideological enemy" — a force he says pushes divisive, right-wing politics that goes against Tamil Nadu's secular and Dravidian spirit. Vijay has ruled out any alliance with the BJP, calling it "fascist" and refusing to surrender the party's self-respect.
This clear stand has helped TVK position itself as a proud Tamil voice that rejects both the old Dravidian establishment and national parties seen as outsiders.
This stance positioned the TVK as a genuine alternative in Tamil Nadu.
For decades, voters chose between the DMK and the AIADMK, both claiming the Dravidian mantle of social justice and Tamil pride. Many felt both had become stale. DMK has been hit by corruption charges, and the AIADMK has weakened after the death of its long-time leader J Jayalalithaa.
The TVK stepped into that vacuum with a fresh face, and a superstar leader. Vijay's films had already built the connect with the masses, and the TVK did not need decades of cadre-building. The party now looks set to reshape how politics is done in the state.
DOES THIS HURT THE BJP's PROSPECTS IN THE SOUTH?
Will Vijay's victory make the BJP's inroads into Tamil Nadu more difficult? Almost certainly yes. The BJP has long struggled to make deep inroads in the state, largely because Dravidian parties frame it as a north Indian, Hindi-imposing force that threatens Tamil identity.
TVK's strong anti-BJP line and its success without any alliance means the party has captured anti-incumbency votes that might otherwise have gone to the AIADMK-BJP combination in past elections. By refusing to play second fiddle, the TVK has kept Tamil Nadu politics firmly local and secular. Any future BJP strategy here will now have to deal with a powerful third player that actively opposes its ideology.
Vijay's success also revives a special Tamil Nadu tradition, of film stars turning into political leaders. Many said that Vijay could become the next MGR, who has acted in dozens of films playing a hero who fights for the poor. MG Ramachandran used that image to lay the foundation of the AIADMK in 1972. Five years later, in 1977, he became the CM of Tamil Nadu, ruling until his death in 1987.
His co-star, Jayalalithaa, followed the same path, leading the AIADMK for years and serving as chief minister multiple times.
What sets Vijay apart is the speed and scale. MGR spent years building a political base before launching his party. Vijay jumped straight from the screen to the ballot in just two years and appears to have achieved what many call "MGR-plus" — bigger instant success, larger crowds supporting him, and a sharper focus on anti-corruption.
For ordinary Tamils, this election has signalled a big change. A new party led by a beloved star has shown that fresh ideas can challenge even the strongest political machinery. The rise of Vijay's TVK comes at a direct cost to the DMK.
Elections 2026 | Tamil Nadu Election | Tamil Nadu Election Constituencies | Tamil Nadu Election Schedule
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