- By Raju Kumar
- Mon, 04 May 2026 12:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Tamil Nadu Assembly Election Results: Actor-turned-politician, Vijay, also known as 'Thalapathy' with his two-year-old party - Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), created history by upsetting giants - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026. The TVK emerged as the biggest party with a lead on 106 seats in the 234-seat assembly in the trends as vote counting was underway.
TVK chief Vijay was leading in the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency at the end of the first round of counting by a margin of 1,669 votes. He was also leading in the second seat, Perambur. Soon after, exit polls predicted that Vijay could create magic like Tamilian stalwart MGR (Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran), people started comparing him to the AIADMK founder.
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What Went In Vijay's Favour In The Tamil Nadu Elections
Solo Venture: TVK has contested the elections alone, against the NDA alliance led by AIADMK, along with the BJP, and the ruling DMK-led alliance, along with Congress. Vijay perhaps sensed that people's nerves were that they were unhappy with the traditional parties, which was the reason he declared that he would not make an alliance pre- or post-polls. He succeeded in convincing people during the poll campaigns.
Anti-Incumbency: There was an undercurrent against the Stalin government. Perhaps he sensed it long ago and declared retirement from the cinema and focused on his political career. He put all his legacy on stake in the election.
Rotational Government Trend: There is a tradition of rotational government in Tamil Nadu. In the absence of J Jayalalithaa, people chose TVK instead of her party, AIADMK.
Dravidian Politics: There has been fatigue against the 'Dravidian politics': politics of freebies in the name of social justice. Vijay came with fresh blood in the Tamil Nadu polity. He strategically did not make tall poll promises. Unlike traditional players, his poll promises were not overloaded with freebies. People saw Dravidian politics for decades. Now, Vijay offered an alternative, which people embraced happily.
Cinema Impact: There is a long cinematic legacy in Tamil Nadu politics. From MGR to J Jayalalithaa, people generally see their political leader in a reel hero. The trend persists. Vijay emerged as the top leader in the state elections. Thalapathy, in his movies, emphasised social justice, poverty alleviation, and heroism, which helped him to portray himself as a protagonist in real life as well.
Huge Fan Base: Like MGR, Vijay does have a huge fan base, mostly youth. He used cinema as a launching pad, and his popularity catapulted him to a leading role in politics.
Family Man Image: The actor maintained a strong connection with his fans through themes of mother-son or brother-sister bonds, fostering a direct emotional connection with the women voters.