Vijay’s TVK shifts focus to Madurai as MK Stalin challenge looms large

Ahead of his statewide tour in September, actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) will host its second state conference at Madurai on August 25. Announcing it in his social media post X, Vijay said “Let history repeat itself. Victory is certain.”

 

 

 

TVK’s general secretary N. Anand participated in the wooden pole planting ceremony at the proposed venue at Koodakovil near Thirumangalam in Madurai district. The conference is to be held at a sprawling space spreading over 300 acres, which can host more than two lakh people. The first conference was held in October 2024 at Vikravandi near Villupuram district in the north of Tamil Nadu, where a huge crowd, particularly in the age group of 18 to 24 participated. 

 

 

 

Madurai and its political significance

 

 

 

Considered the heart of south Tamil Nadu, Madurai had always been significant in Tamil Nadu’s political arena. In fact, all major political upheavals of Tamil Nadu have started from Madurai.

 

The political conferences by Tamil Nadu’s two Dravidian majors - the DMK and the AIADMK  -- held in Madurai have always etched in history. Vijayakanth launched his party from Madurai while Kamal Hassan had his first state conference at Madurai. The recent Lord Murugan conference organised by the Hindu Munnani, Amit Shah’s public rally and the DMK’s general council meeting were the recent political happenings in Madurai. 

 

 

 

Once DMK leader M.K. Alagiri’s fiefdom, Madurai is now a bastion under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. No wonder Vijay chose Madurai for his second state conference; this sends out a strong political message that he will be taking on the DMK. During his party’s general council meeting, Vijay made it clear that the fight in Tamil Nadu in the upcoming 2026 elections is between the DMK and his TVK.

 

 

Why Vijay pitches him opposite Stalin and DMK? 

 

 

 

On July 13, at the first public protest over custodial deaths, Vijay fired a salvo at the Stalin-led DMK government. Calling Stalin’s government as “Sorry Ma model” during his first public demonstration, Vijay took a sharper tone against Stalin and the DMK. In the past 10 months since his first public conference at Vikravandi, Vijay makes it a point to take on the DMK and its chief. In the language issue, he accused the DMK and the Tamil Nadu government of enacting a drama. He referred it as a hashtag drama on social media. He said it was time to eliminate feudal lords from Tamil Nadu. In his party’s general council meeting he said the 2026 election will be a fight between his TVK and the DMK. 

 

 

 

And then, in the Parandur new airport issue, Vijay stood by the farmers. His visit to Parandur was his first public outreach, and he called it the right place for him to start his political journey. During the party’s executive committee meeting, he said he would take the villagers from Ekanapuram in Parandur to the state secretariat and meet the Chief Minister, asking him to address their concerns.

 

 

Vijay’s style of politics is to replicate that of MGR’s success story. Like MGR took on the DMK, Vijay in his very first conference in Vikaravandi in October laid out his political path - that he is against corruption and those who are looting the state; how he will bring about an egalitarian society; and why the poor, the marginalised and the downtrodden should vote for him.

 

 

 

Vijay wants to challenge the established dynamics of Tamil Nadu politics scene dominated by the DMK and the AIADMK. While AIADMK has steadily weakened after the demise of Jayalalithaa, Vijay has planned to take on the DMK and its leader Stalin. However, Vijay’s timing seems tactical and calculated with a clear target of 20 to 30 percent of the state’s total electorate which is not aligned with either of the Dravidian majors. 

 

 

 

With a clear ideological base and his ideas of compassion, non-violence and respect for life, Vijay’s voice against the ruling party resonates with the voters. But whether it will translate into a coherent political narrative remains to be seen.

 

India