Vijay's TVK gets whistle symbol ahead of 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls

Chennai: Whistle, it is for Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam. The fledgling political party in Tamil Nadu led by actor Vijay was on Thursday allotted a common symbol, Whistle, for candidates to be fielded by it in the April-May assembly elections.

In a communication to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed that the application filed by TVK for allotment of a common symbol to its candidates in the assembly elections has been accepted.

“The Returning Officers may be directed to allot the common symbol mentioned above to the candidates set up by the aforesaid registered un-recognized political parties,” the order said, adding that Whistle symbol be allotted to candidates of TVK.

The order added that actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam will be allotted another common symbol, torch light, provided the parties field candidates in five per cent of total number of assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Whistle was one of the symbols that the TVK preferred from the list of common symbols submitted to the ECI. "Whistle podu" is already a popular phrase in Tamil Nadu used by the fans of IPL team, Chennai Super Kings, to cheer during Indian Premier League matches.

As soon as the common symbol was allotted to the party, TVK leaders distributed sweets to cadres at the headquarters even as fans shared a song whistle podu from Vijay’s movie, Greatest of All Times (GOAT), on their social media handles.

Sources said whistle was chosen by TVK leaders since it is a very common symbol and can be easily remembered by people.

“Also, whistle (Bigil in Tamil) is quite popular among Vijay fans for the past few years due to his movie Bigil. A dialogue from the movie, cup mukkiyam Bigilu (Trophy is important) is synonymous with Vijay and we believe it will help us reach the symbol easily,” a TVK leader said.

Party general secretary (Election Management) Aadhav Arjuna asked TVK cadres to take the Whistle symbol to the people by drawing it on walls across the state. “Let the sound for change begin from the whistle; let our government be born from that voice for change,” Arjuna added.