The counting of votes for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is currently underway. Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has crossed the majority mark in the early trends. The party is currently leading in 109 seats. Although they remain slightly short of the 118-seat threshold required for a clear majority, it is highly probable that they will secure the support of smaller parties belonging to both major Dravidian alliances.
Emerging as the most prominent face in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay has taken the state’s established ‘Dravidian’ parties by surprise—a development that signals the dawn of a new political era. Delivering a spectacular performance in his very first electoral foray, Vijay has, through his party the ‘Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam’ (TVK), proven himself to be the true “People’s Leader” (*Jan Nayak*) of Tamil Nadu.
These results have placed Vijay in the league of legendary actor-politicians such as N.T. Rama Rao, M.G. Ramachandran, and J. Jayalalithaa. His performance makes it abundantly clear that his cinematic popularity has now transformed into a deep emotional bond with the masses—a connection that is vividly reflected in the electoral mandate.
This victory for the TVK could also mark a historic shift, as it raises the possibility—for the first time since June 1977—of a government being formed in Tamil Nadu by a party other than the dominant DMK or AIADMK.
Vijay’s family was spotted at his residence, watching the election coverage on television and celebrating the party’s magnificent performance. They were seen singing the song ‘Whistle Podu,’ which also serves as the party’s official election symbol. Vijay’s father, S.A. Chandrasekhar, and his cousins were also present during these celebrations. Additionally, actress Trisha Krishnan visited Vijay—the TVK chief—at his Chennai residence to meet and congratulate him.
Outside the party headquarters in Chennai, cadres celebrated with unbridled enthusiasm as the latest trends indicated that their party was poised to emerge as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. A massive crowd of jubilant cadres and supporters gathered outside the party office, celebrating this monumental success by waving flags and distributing sweets. TVK National Spokesperson Felix Gerald stated, “You will see that no alliance will be necessary. I can assure you that we will form the government on our own… There are no ‘ifs or buts’ about it. This is a very clear mandate. The message is clear—the public has put a full stop to the politics of plunder, corruption, nepotism, and dynasticism. This marks the end of dynastic rule; this marks the end of the DMK.”
Vijay was leading by a margin of over 6,000 votes in the Tiruchirappalli (East) constituency, where he had secured 16,579 votes by the end of the fourth round of counting—out of a total of 22 rounds. Meanwhile, the DMK’s Inigo Irudayaraj received approximately 10,000 votes, leaving him trailing behind Vijay after the fourth round. Vijay is also contesting from Perambur, where his lead against the DMK’s R.D. Sekhar is even more substantial; here, he is ahead by a margin of over 10,000 votes.
According to estimates from the Election Commission, the AIADMK was leading in 64 constituencies, while the DMK held the lead in 44 seats. Among other smaller parties, the PMK was leading in 4 seats, the Congress (INC) in 5, and the BJP in 3 seats. The counting of votes began at 8:00 AM this morning, and the official announcement of the final results by the Election Commission is still awaited.
