After years of speculation, Tamil actor Vijay on Friday announced that he is joining politics and is political party.
In a social media post, Vijay announced that he is forming a party named 'Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam' (TVK). He said he is joining party in response to "corrupt" and "divisive" political culture. He added that Tamil Nadu is seeking a "fundamental change" and his party shall work for it.
While Vijay has formally entered politics now, he has been politically active for the past decade and has backed candidates in assembly and local body elections in Tamil Nadu. Vijay has also used events associated with his films to issue politically-loaded statements that have been seen as veiled jabs at the state's ruling party DMK. A number of events have therefore attracted the ire of the establishment.
Here we look at VIjay's career, his political views, and what we know of his political party TVK.
'Thalapathy' Vijay Is Top South Indian Actor
Vijay, who only goes by his first name professionally, is one of the biggest South Indian film stars, who works mostly in Tamil films. He is 49-years-old.
Vijay's full name is Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar. He is widely referred to by his nickname of 'Thalapathy', which means 'Commander' in Tamil.
Vijay is hugely popular in the South and is often referred to as the successor to veteran actor Rajinikanth, who enjoys fanatic devotion from a large number of fans across South India and beyond.
Vijay is the son of writer-director SA Chandrashekhar and Shobha Chandrasekhar, who is a singer, writer, and producer. He started as a child actor in 1984 and had a string of flops as an adult. It was in 1996 that he delivered the first hit with 'Poove Unakkaga', which went on to assert his presence in the industry. Since then, he has had a number of iconic roles, such as in 'Kadhalukku Mariyadhai' (1997), 'Thulladha Manamum Thullum' (1999), 'Ghilli' (2004), 'Pokkiri' (2007), 'Thuppakki' (2012); 'Mersal' (2017), and 'Sarkar' (2018), according to his profile on Book My Show.
For over a decade, Vijay has been engaged in social welfare activities, which served as a platform for his political aspirations. Besides his welfare activities, his film events also had political overtones, which often put him at odds with the ruling DMK in the state.
Vijay's Journey From Humanitarian Work To Politics
In 2009, Vijay founded an organisation named 'Vijay Makkal Iyakkam' (VMI), which was kind of a cross between a fan club and a philanthropy vehicle. It is this organisation that later served as his point of entry into politics.
The VMI was engaged in humanitarian work in the 2011 cyclone in Tamil Nadu and 2018 floods in Kerala, according to reports. Moreover, the VMI has also been active in the education sector.
In 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the VMI supported the AIADMK party. The AIADMK won the elections and Vijay's family was supportive of the party in public statements. The New Indian Express quoted his father SA Chandrashekhar as saying that the "entire film industry was forced to be subservient" under the previous government and that the industry got "total freedom" after the change of guard.
Then, in 2021, the VMI backed 169 candidates in the Tamil Nadu local body elections, according to News Minute. Of them, 115 were victorious.
Since then, Vijay has made a series of statements that hinted at his imminent political foray. In June 2017, at an event facilitating students, he took thinly-veiled digs at the ruling establishment. He slammed the politicians seeking voters with bribes and asked students to read works of BR Ambedkar, Periyar, and Kamarajar.
"You are tomorrow’s voters. You will be electing the future leaders. We are poking our own eyes with our hands, by getting money for votes. Consider a politician giving Rs 1000 to a voter in a constituency that has 1.5 lakh voters. How much he must have given as a bribe, nearly 15 crore? If a person gives a bribe of Rs 15 crore think how much he must have earned before that! I want all this to be a part of your educational system. There will be a change if you go and tell your parents that they should not get money to vote," said Vijay, as per News Minute.
Regarding his film 'Leo' (2023), Manorama Online noted that it has been pointed out that Vijay has been making use of the audio and trailer launch events of his movie to make politically-loaded statements.
"They [fans] also believe that the DMK remains wary of the actor’s words assuming more sharpness ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. A section of reports, meanwhile, also points to the unwillingness of Leo’s producers to cooperate with the Red Giant Movies owned by Udhayanidhi Stalin. Adding to the speculations, posters hailing Vijay as the next Chief Minister began to surface in Madurai," said Manorama further about Vijay's politics in October 2023.
All We Know Of Vijay's Party 'TVK'
In a social media post, Vijay shared that the name of his party will be 'Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam' (TVK).
Vijay said that he is floating the party because it is impossible for a voluntary organisation to "bring about complete social, economic and political reforms", according to an English translation of the letter shared in the post.
Such reforms require political power, said the post, adding that Tamil Nadu's political climate currently has "corrupt" and "divisive" political culture that "our people on the lines of caste and religion, on the other hand, are full of obstacles to our unity and progress".
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"It is a fact that everyone especially in Tamil Nadu is yearning for a fundamental political change that can lead to a selfless, transparent, caste-free, visionary, corruption-free efficient administration. Most importantly, such a polity should be subject to our Indian constitution, based on the state rights of Tamil Nadu, and should be based on the egalitarian principle of 'Parbokum Ella Biyukum' (All are equal by birth) for this land. Such a fundamental political change can only be made possible by a people's power that has the unanimous admiration and love of the people," said the letter.
Further, Vijay said in the letter that the party's registration application has been filed and that it will contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. He said the State General Committee and Executive Committee meeting was held in Chennai on January 25 and the party's constitution and bylaws were approved in the meeting. He further said that the party's organisational work will also start shortly.
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"After receiving the approval of the Election Commission, after the coming parliamentary elections, our political journey for the people of Tamil Nadu will begin with public meeting events, presenting our party's principles, principles, flag, symbol and plans for the success of Tamil Nadu-related policies and the upliftment of the people of Tamil Nadu," said Vijay.
