New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) surged to a stunning victory in Tamil Nadu’s assembly elections on Monday, shattering the decades-old dominance of Dravidian parties DMK and AIADMK in a historic debut performance.
With counting of votes from the April 23 polling underway, TVK is leading in 107 of the 234 seats by afternoon, and likely to cross the 118-seat majority mark in several projections and positioning Vijay as the state’s next chief minister. The party, launched just two years ago, capitalised on massive youth support and anti-incumbency to upend Tamil Nadu’s bipolar politics.
Early trends showed TVK dominating urban and semi-urban pockets, including strong leads in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and southern districts. Vijay himself was leading comfortably from Perambur. The ruling DMK-led alliance trailed significantly, while the AIADMK-led front placed a distant third in most counts.
Voter turnout hit a record 85.1%, the highest for a Tamil Nadu assembly election, driven largely by first-time and young voters who turned polling stations into celebrations. Vijay publicly thanked children for encouraging families to vote, describing the day as a “people’s festival.”
From Reel to Real Power
Vijay, 51, starred in nearly 70 films over three decades, earning a massive pan-Indian and global fan following. Known for his dancing, energetic screen presence, and “angry young man” roles, Vijay became one of India’s highest-paid actors. One of Tamil cinema’s biggest superstars, Vijay is widely known as “Thalapathy”. He announced his political entry in 2024 after hinting at public service in films. He formally launched TVK on February 2, 2024, and retired from cinema to contest all 234 seats independently — a high-stakes gamble that paid off spectacularly.
The campaign focused on Tamil pride, social justice, anti-corruption, welfare schemes like monthly women’s assistance, and transparent governance. Vijay’s massive fan base provided an ready-made organisational network, bypassing traditional caste and alliance arithmetic that has defined Dravidian politics since the 1960s.
Political analysts called the result a “political earthquake” and the first major non-DMK, non-AIADMK government since the state’s reorganisation. It ends the DMK’s second term under M.K. Stalin, who faced criticism over governance, family dominance, and economic issues despite welfare programmes.
Senior DMK leaders, including Stalin, trailed in key constituencies in early counts. AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami also struggled to make significant gains.
Celebrations erupted outside Vijay’s residence and party offices as leads crossed triple digits, with supporters waving party flags and chanting “Thalapathy.”
While the win marks a generational shift powered by cinema stardom and digital mobilisation, forming a stable government and delivering on ambitious promises will test Vijay’s administrative skills. The party has no prior experience in governance, and coalition dynamics could emerge if final numbers fall short of a clear majority, though current trends suggest a comfortable win.
Election Commission officials said counting proceeded smoothly with high security. Full results are expected by late evening.
Vijay’s victory rewrites Tamil Nadu’s political script, proving the power of individual charisma and anti-establishment sentiment in one of India’s most politically conscious states.
