On Friday (February 2), Vijay, who is fondly known as ‘Thalapathy’ (commander in Tamil), announced the formation of his political party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam. Although many famous Tamil Nadu actors and actresses have dabbled in politics, Vijay is just the second celebrity to do so, after the illustrious M G Ramachandran (MGR).
Do you think he has what it takes to shake up the political climate in Tamil Nadu?
The political climate of the state will be examined first.
The two major political parties in Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhgham (AIADMK), control 70 to 80 percent of the voteshare when they form coalitions. The other 20–30% of the vote, nevertheless, is wide open. As with many others in the last thirty years, this is the area that Vijay intends to focus on.
The Tamil Manila Congress (TMC) was established in 1996 by G K Moopanar, a seasoned Congress politician. Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) was presented by “Captain” Vijayakanth in 2005. While he may not have been a movie star on par with Vijay, Vijayakanth did have an impression on the state’s politics, albeit a brief one.
In 2009, filmmaker Seeman released Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), a Tamil nationalist film. Despite his recurrent absence, he keeps a low profile in the state. Despite aspiring to the position of “next chief minister” in 2014 and 2016, Anbumani Ramadoss, a former union minister and head of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), was unable to challenge the DMK-AIADMK duopoly.
To counter the “corrupt” DMK and AIADMK, actor Kamal Haasan formed Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in 2018. Haasan, on the other hand, is now in discussions to obtain a minimum of one Lok Sabha seat for the general elections of 2024 inside the DMK-Congress coalition, after failing to gain any political momentum.
In 2021, K. Annamalai, a former IPS officer and current member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), rose to prominence as a political figure in Tamil Nadu.
Nevertheless, Vijay stands head and shoulders above the rest of the aforementioned numbers.
The key will be Vijay’s irresistible charisma.
When he enters politics, Vijay, like MGR, will rely on his superstardom. Political watchers in Tamil Nadu think that Vijay’s appeal goes beyond caste, class, religion, and even area, despite the fact that he is a Christian and can trace his ancestry to the backward Udayar group.
Given the high concentration of rural electors in the Virudhachalam seat, Vijayakanth, who was known as the “Raja of B and C class theatres,” settled on it. The educated, urban Haasan population, in contrast, ran from the southern part of Coimbatore. On the other hand, Vijay’s legion of devoted followers pack both A- and B-list theatres.
In more remote places, we think he still has a significant advantage. Given Madurai’s unusual semi-urban aspect, we may recommend it as a contest venue; yet, Vijay will need a consistent philosophy to succeed.
To be successful in Tamil Nadu politics, one requires more than just popularity; they also need a well-developed philosophy. This is shown by Haasan’s difficulties and Vijayakanth’s fleeting triumph. This is also true of the late MGR, whose rise to fame was bolstered by a political philosophy that had its origins in the Dravidian tradition.
Priorities like as compassion, nonviolence, and respect for life are emphasized, and it is implied that all living things have a common ancestry or are subject to the same reincarnation cycle. Our mentality is that,” the close assistant said.
“The current political situation is known to all of you,” continues the third paragraph of the message. There is a “divisive political culture” that aims to divide our people along religion and caste lines, and there is also “a culture of politics tainted with corruption” and administrative malpractice. Our unity and growth are hindered by this.
Problems may arise due to a lack of faces and a timid demeanour.
Without any well-known figures to rally behind his fledgling party, Vijay confronts what may be his greatest obstacle. Panruti S. Ramachandran, a seasoned politician, helped Vijayakanth in his early political career, but Vijay did not get the same treatment. Not quite yet, however.
According to anonymous sources close to Vijay’s camp, who spoke to The Indian Express, the actor is now in discussions to bring on board several well-known personalities.
U Sagayam, a no-nonsense IAS official who resigned from service in 2021 after clashing with the state administration on multiple occasions, including the Madurai mining scandals, M Ravi, a retired IPS officer of the 1991 batch, and C Sylendra Babu, a recently retired DGP of Tamil Nadu, are among them.
Other issues also bother some fans. When he’s not acting, Vijay is a quiet, reticent guy—not your usual politician, but unlike many in the film industry. “Such people can have a really aggressive face too, isn’t it?” remarked an individual close to the actor on Friday.
Situation ideal for Vijay to shake up politics in Tennessee
No one has yet chronicled Vijay’s political career. However, he is at the perfect moment to disrupt the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.
After J Jayalalitha passed away in 2016, the AIADMK was completely devoid of her charisma and influence.
Despite its massive state-wide infrastructure and cadre, the party has been beset by internal strife and constant crises since Amma’s departure.
Notably, the BJP and the governing DMK were among the many political parties that have remained relatively silent in response to Vijay’s apparent intention to enter politics since rumours of his impending debut began to circulate in June 2023.
On the other hand, Vijay has said that his party would not be participating in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and is instead aiming for the 2026 assembly elections.
