Key Points
- Vijay launches TVK as anti-corruption political movement targeting 2026 elections
TVK General Secretary N Anand clarified that only the party’s officially designated spokespersons, as appointed by President Vijay, are authorized to express its views. He urged the public to disregard statements made by individuals who are not officially recognized by the party. Anand noted that TVK has been growing rapidly, thanks to strong public support, and has been actively involved in various initiatives. These include membership enrollment, awarding certificates of appreciation and incentives to students, and organizing events like the Vettri Kolgai Thiruvizha and anniversary celebrations.
He alleged that rival political parties, unable to tolerate TVK’s increasing popularity, have been attempting to mislead the public by presenting their own supporters as TVK representatives in media debates. This misrepresentation, he said, has been strongly condemned by the party. “The opinions and views expressed by individuals who are not officially authorized by TVK’s President or the Headquarters Secretariat do not reflect the party’s official position,” Anand asserted. He urged TVK members and the people of Tamil Nadu to exercise caution and avoid being misled by unauthorized statements.
Vijay officially launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam on February 2, 2024, positioning it as an anti-corruption and anti-divisive politics movement. Though he chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he announced that TVK would compete in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. On August 22, 2024, Vijay unveiled the party’s flag and flag song at its headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai. This was followed by TVK’s inaugural conference on October 27, 2024, in Vikravandi, Villupuram district, which reportedly drew an estimated crowd of three lakh people. The massive turnout led to heavy traffic congestion in Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam, forcing authorities to divert vehicles on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway.
During the conference, Vijay strongly criticized both the DMK and the BJP, declaring the BJP as his ideological adversary and the DMK as his political adversary. He accused the DMK of being a family-run party that exploits the “Dravidian” identity for personal gain while condemning the BJP for its divisive politics. Following his remarks, the DMK accused Vijay of being the “C team” of the BJP, implying that he was indirectly supporting the saffron party.
Vijay’s political influence has been on the rise since his fan club, the All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), won 115 out of the 169 seats it contested in the 2021 Tamil Nadu local body elections. In contrast, Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) failed to win any seats, further solidifying Vijay’s standing in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. Vijay has also made it clear that TVK will only align with parties that acknowledge his leadership.
