Political strategist Prashant Kishor; actor-politician Vijay
Credit: PTI Photos
Chennai: Putting to rest speculation, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK)’s special political advisor Prashant Kishor has stated that the party will contest the 2026 Assembly elections independently and will not form an alliance with the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party.
Kishor, who had shared the dais with Vijay at a TVK event near here on Wednesday, also claimed that Vijay’s on-screen popularity would ensure the party's victory in the Assembly polls.
The remarks by Kishor, made in an interview with Thanthi TV, a popular Tamil channel, are significant, given the ongoing speculation about a potential alliance between TVK and AIADMK to challenge the DMK in the crucial 2026 elections. While TVK’s general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna had stated on Wednesday that Vijay didn’t launch the party to settle for 40 or 45 seats, the speculation persisted.
“Absolutely,” Kishor said when asked whether he saw any possibility of an alliance with AIADMK. “The commitment is to go alone, absolutely. I don’t see that changing. If he goes alone, he stands a very good chance,” the political strategist asserted.
When asked what he meant by a "good chance," Kishor replied, “Good chance to win Tamil Nadu.” “Yes, absolutely. Keep this video and play it when results are out,” he added, when pressed on whether he believed Vijay would secure the 118 seats needed to form a government in Tamil Nadu.
Kishor was recently brought in by Vijay to devise strategies for the assembly elections, having previously worked in Tamil Nadu during the 2021 elections. While Vijay has another strategist, John Arokiasamy, the actor believes Kishor’s inputs and planning could prove valuable during the elections.
In the interview, Kishor also mentioned that he and Vijay would collaborate not just in Tamil Nadu and Bihar but beyond. “I met Vijay five years ago, and that was our first meeting. Vijay will work for me in Bihar, as he has a huge fan following in my state, being a popular film star,” Kishor said.
Vijay joins a long list of actors who have entered politics in Tamil Nadu, starting with M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, followed by Sivaji Ganesan, Vijayakanth, and Kamal Haasan. While the first two made a significant impact in politics, the latter three failed to achieve much success, though Vijayakanth briefly altered the state’s bipolar politics. Superstar Rajinikanth, after promising to launch a party and contest the 2021 elections, refrained from doing so due to health concerns.
Vijay’s political entry is a bold move, as no actor has been able to replicate the MGR magic in nearly four decades in a state where over 75 per cent of the vote share is controlled by the DMK and AIADMK, the Dravidian heavyweights who have alternated in power since 1967.
In addition to taking on senior leaders like Chief Minister M K Stalin and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Vijay will also compete with relatively young leaders such as Udhayanidhi Stalin and BJP state chief K Annamalai.