Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay
Credit: PTI File Photo
Chennai: Announcing himself as Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam’s (TVK) Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2026 polls, actor-politician Vijay on Friday closed the door on any alliance with the BJP or AIADMK by declaring that he would lead a new front, setting the stage for a high-octane four-cornered contest in the assembly elections.
While he categorically ruled out joining hands with the BJP, terming the party his “ideological enemy,” Vijay effectively closed the door on the AIADMK by stating that any alliance formed by him would be headed solely by the TVK.
Vijay’s declaration at his party’s Executive Council meeting comes amid assertions by leaders of the AIADMK and BJP, who had hoped Vijay would join their alliance to send the DMK dispensation led by Chief Minister M K Stalin packing.
“Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam will never enter into an alliance for selfish political gains. There is no direct or indirect alliance with the DMK or the BJP. If there is any alliance in the future, it will be one led by TVK. That combine will oppose both the DMK and BJP,” Vijay said amid loud cheers from his cadres.
The meeting also resolved to organize a state conference of the TVK in August, following which Vijay will embark on a whirlwind state-wide tour from September to December this year to garner support for his party. Throughout July, the party will hold meetings with booth-level agents and has set an ambitious target of enrolling two crore members.
Leaders of the AIADMK and BJP believe that Vijay contesting alone would only help the DMK, as anti-government votes would be split between the AIADMK-BJP alliance, TVK, and the NTK led by Tamil nationalist Seeman.
However, Vijay, who made it clear last year that his party would only lead any alliance in the future, reiterated that he stands by that decision and sees no need to join any existing electoral combine. It is also said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah hurriedly stitched an alliance with the AIADMK a year before the election to ensure that the Dravidian party did not explore options like Vijay.
“The BJP divides people based on religion and encourages division among people for political gains. Such dangerous strategies might work elsewhere but not in Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding that any party that “insults” leaders like E.V.R. Periyar and DMK founder C N Annadurai can never win in Tamil Nadu.
This was in reference to criticism of the two leaders and the Dravidian Movement at the Muruga Bakthargalin Manadu on June 22, organized by Hindu Munnani with the active participation of the BJP. He also criticized both Dravidian parties for tying up with the BJP for “selfish political gains.”
Vijay also threatened to gherao the state secretariat with the people of Parandur, a village he visited in January, who oppose the greenfield airport planned for Chennai if Chief Minister M.K. Stalin did not meet them and address their concerns.
“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. Many studies have said Parandur is not the right location to build an airport,” Vijay said, adding that he had written to Stalin urging reconsideration of the chosen site.