Actor-politician Vijay on Friday announced himself as Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam’s (TVK) chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. He also shut down any prospect of an alliance with either the AIADMK or the BJP.
Speaking at the party’s executive council meeting, Vijay said, “Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam will never enter into an alliance for selfish political gains.”
“There is no direct alliance or a hidden understanding with either the DMK or the BJP. If there is any alliance in the future, it will be one led by TVK. That combination will oppose both the DMK and BJP,” he added.
“The BJP divides people based on religion and encourages division among people for political gains,” Vijay said, adding,“Such dangerous strategies might work elsewhere but not in Tamil Nadu.” Referencing the recent controversy over video clips allegedly criticising stalwarts of the Dravidian movement being played at the Murugan conference, organised by the Hindu Munnani and backed by the BJP, on June 22, he added that any party that insulted leaders such as E V Ramasamy (Periyar) and DMK founder C N Annadurai could never win in the state.
As stated at the meeting, TVK will hold a state conference in August, following which Vijay will go on a state-wide tour from September until December.
{{/usCountry}}As stated at the meeting, TVK will hold a state conference in August, following which Vijay will go on a state-wide tour from September until December.
{{/usCountry}}Vijay also sought the ruling state government to look for a site alternative to Parandur to establish Chennai’s second airport. “We are not against development or the building of airports. We are only opposed to the location chosen by the state government for the airport,” he said.
Vijay criticised chief minister M K Stalin for not visiting the people at Parandur and said, “they are also our people… If you don’t go and meet the people of Parandur, then I am willing to bring them to meet you at the Secretariat.”
Among several resolutions passed at the meeting, one called upon the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu islet from Sri Lanka, while another flayed the Union government for attempting to “cover up” the findings at the contested archaeological site Keeladi, that established the existence of an urban civilisation in the Tamil heartland over 2,000 years ago.
Another resolution passed at the meeting strongly criticized the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) electoral revision process, stating,“Electoral revision in poll-bound states is an effort to reduce the votes of minorities and this should be stopped. ECI has decided to conduct intensive electoral revision in assembly election-bound states and it is highly suspicious that BJP is trying to reduce the minority voters and to increase their voters which is against democracy.”
Another resolution condemned the Centre over the ‘treatment’ of farmers during their protest in New Delhi. It also urged the state government to give up the proposal to establish the SIPCOT industrial expansion project at Melma.
Reacting to Vijay’s speech, BJP state president Nainar Nagendran said that everyone should unite to defeat the DMK. “Whether other parties want to join us or not to defeat the DMK is their decision,” Nagendran said. “Every party should think about who loses and gains through such alliances,” he added.
Lok Sabha MP from Thoothukudi and senior DMK leader K Kanimozhi also responded to the speech, saying, “Congratulations to TVK for contesting independently. They’re no challenge for the DMK.”
At the time of going to print, no members of the AIADMK issued any response tp Vijay’s comments.