Tamil Nadu
Is Actor Vijay A Critical Factor In 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections ?
S Rajesh
Jun 11, 2024, 01:22 PM | Updated 01:41 PM IST
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Tamil film actor Joseph Vijay and his recently formed political outfit Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) is back in the media gaze after he wrote a social media post congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his third term.
While forming the TVK a few months ago, Vijay had decided not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and instead prepare for the 2026 Assembly elections.
The move was appreciated by many as that would give the party time to grow and reach out to people.
This patient game, coupled with his charisma, religious affiliation and attraction among the youth are all factors that could make him and his party a force to reckon with.
Vijay's Entry Could Affect The Vote Share of Multiple Parties
Vijay’s TVK is likely to draw votes of Christians from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), youth from Annamalai and Seeman of Naam Tamilar Katchi, and also get votes of swing voters, i.e. those who are not loyal to either the DMK or the AIADMK.
Like with Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM), a good number of voters might also decide to vote for the TVK, just for a change or giving an opportunity to the new person on the block.
TVK Could Perform Better And Last Longer Than The MNM
While the MNM secured a vote share of only 3.72 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it performed well in constituencies like Chennai South and Coimbatore, securing around 11.65 per cent in the latter, which is said to have negatively affected the chances of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) C P Radhakrishnan.
A similar performance could be expected from Vijay.
His decision to quit cinema entirely in order to focus on politics also means that his outfit might be able to perform better than the MNM and stay relevant for a longer duration.
Thus, if Vijay’s party succeeds in securing a sizeable vote share, it could leave its imprint on the outcome, especially in constituencies where there is a close fight and thus become a critical factor in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Also Read: Vijay, Your Politics Is Now Undeniably Clear — Thank You
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S Rajesh is Staff Writer at Swarajya.
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