Chennai, 4 July (H.S.) : The Tamil film star-turned-politician Vijay has been officially declared the chief ministerial candidate of his party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), for the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. The announcement was made at the party's executive committee meeting held in Panayur, Chennai. The committee also resolved that TVK will not form any alliance with the BJP or DMK, either directly or indirectly.

Vijay emphasized that Tamil Nadu's rich heritage of social justice, harmony, and brotherhood would prevent the BJP from succeeding in their attempts to divide people along communal lines. He criticized the BJP for trying to reap political mileage by spreading divisiveness. The actor-turned-politician asserted that TVK's door is closed to any alliance with the BJP or DMK, and if there's an alliance, it will be led by TVK and will be against both DMK and BJP.

As part of its campaign preparations, TVK plans to launch a statewide tour from September to December, aiming to strengthen the party's base. The party's general secretary, N Anand, announced that the tour would help position TVK as a serious challenger in the state. Additionally, the party will hold a large-scale state conference in August and public meetings in villages to disseminate its ideology.

With this announcement, Vijay has set his sights on challenging the ruling DMK and its chief minister, MK Stalin, in the 2026 assembly elections. Given Vijay's popularity, the new party might spring a surprise, although it's a tall order for a party launched just last year to make a significant impact.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary