Vijay Nears Tamil Nadu Leadership Amid Political Feud with Father

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Popular actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, widely known as Thalapathy Vijay, has dramatically reshaped Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with his nascent party, Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerging as the single largest force in recently concluded assembly elections. This significant breakthrough marks a formidable challenge to the state’s six-decade-long two-party dominance and positions Vijay as a key contender for the Chief Minister’s post, potentially leading the government after the 2026 legislative assembly polls.

Winning 107 out of 234 seats, TVK fell 11 seats short of the 118-seat simple majority required for independent government formation. Despite this, political analysts widely predict Vijay will become Tamil Nadu’s next Chief Minister, anticipating he will secure the necessary support from independent lawmakers and smaller parties.

Since 1967, Tamil Nadu’s political stage has been exclusively dominated by a cyclical power-sharing arrangement between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Vijay’s rapid ascent is now being hailed as a “new dawn” in the state’s politics, fundamentally challenging the entrenched grassroots bases of both established parties.

This foray into mainstream politics represents a remarkable shift for the popular film star, who once actively sought to distance himself from political involvement. In 2020, Vijay did not hesitate to take legal action against his own father, acclaimed director S. A. Chandrasekhar, when his father, without the actor’s consent, attempted to convert Vijay’s fan club into a political party named ‘Vijay Makkal Iyakkam’.

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Vijay subsequently filed a lawsuit in 2021 against his father and eleven others, explicitly stating through the courts that his name and image should not be used for any political purposes. While the incident caused a temporary strain on their relationship, it was later resolved.

However, by 2024, the actor had a change of heart, formally establishing the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam. In just two years, the party has surpassed all major political entities in Tamil Nadu, standing at the cusp of government formation.

From commanding the screen as ‘Thalapathy’ (commander), Vijay is now poised to take on the responsibility of governing a state. Observers now keenly watch how successfully the cinematic hero will translate his widespread popularity into effective political leadership in the real world.