Vijay eyes 2026 Assembly elections, says it will be Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam against DMK

Actor-turned-politician Vijay attended his political party’s second state conference in Madurai today, August 21.

Addressing the gathering, Vijay said the 2026 poll fight in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections would be between Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and the DMK, and he would contest the Assembly elections from Madurai East.

He compared himself to a lion and said: “A lion knows how to live in a crowd and also knows how to live alone. He remains unique. A lion only comes out to hunt, not to entertain. He always hunts only live prey.”

The BJP is his ideological enemy while the DMK is his political enemy, Vijay added.

Last year, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam held its inaugural state conference at Vikravandi in Villupuram district, which served as a launch pad for the aspiring chief minister’s political career.

TVK party activists are heading to Madurai en masse for the conference, which is scheduled to take place this evening. The conference is expected to begin around 4 p.m. at Parapathi in Madurai district, followed by cultural programs.

The actor arrived in town on Wednesday evening for the event, where he was greeted by fans and party members. The event is being held on a sprawling property along the Madurai-Thoothukudi highway and has attracted thousands of fans, including women and families.

Madurai was chosen for its strong symbolism in Tamil cultural and political movements. The conference aims to project 2026 as a pivotal year in Tamil Nadu politics, drawing parallels with 1967 (DMK coming to power) and 1977 (MGR’s AIADMK toppling the ruling party).

Hoardings proclaim Vijay’s rise to the post of chief minister in the upcoming elections, drawing parallels with MGR’s rise. Organizers are expecting a crowd of four lakh and have made arrangements for drinking water and facilities, learning lessons from the first TVK meeting where many supporters fainted due to dehydration, the Deccan Herald reported.

For many of his supporters, the atmosphere was more like a festival than a celebratory meeting. “I came here just to see the preparations. Tomorrow I will be back to hear Vijay speak. We believe he will make history in 2026,” said Sumitra, a Dindigul supporter.

Political observers are paying close attention to the conference, which takes place just eight months before national elections. The state conference will be held months before the 2026 elections in Tamil Nadu, possibly in April-May.

TVK will participate in the legislative elections for the first time. Vijay’s move is seen as bold and high-stakes, with DMK and AIADMK controlling over 75% of the votes.

On August 13, the party chairman unveiled “Now TVK”, a unique application for the party’s membership drive. Addressing the launch, Vijay said, “The 2026 elections would be similar to the two big elections of 1967 and 1977 in Tamil Nadu politics,” adding that in both the polls, “the newcomers won, opposing the power and influence that has continually won the elections.”

The actor is currently working on his next film Jana Nayagandirected by H. Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions. He was last seen in September 2024. The greatest of all time.