In the blockbuster Tamil film Beast, actor Vijay dramatically declared, “I’m not a politician. I’m a soldier.” Fans went wild in theaters across Tamil Nadu.
After years of teasing his political debut with a line from a cult movie, Vijay has finally done it. He started his own political party and named his party ‘Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam’ which means ‘Victory Tamil Nadu Party’.
Mr. Vijay, also known as Thalapathy (Commander) to his fans, is walking a well-trodden path in the state. He stars in movies and then dives into politics, trying to use his stardom to convert fans into voters. The list is long, from former chief ministers MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa to Captain Vijaykanth, Khushbu, Kamal Haasan and even Udhayanidhi Stalin.
With any luck, Vijay can rely on his fan base and if he plays his cards right, he could play as a kingmaker in the not too distant future.
Now, let’s take a cold hard look at Vijay’s prospects. Vijay attempted a soft political launch in 2021, with his fan club Vijay Makkal Iyakam fielding candidates in parts of the state for local body elections. It was clear that the actor intended to take careful, small steps.
Candidate Vijay, who participated in the polls as an independent and campaigned with the smiling face of a leader on a flag, achieved an impressive performance with 129 out of 169 candidates contesting for various posts winning. I got it. In 2022, about 10 more candidates won polls in urban local bodies. All this happened without Mr. Vijay campaigning.perfect form
At the time, Vijay’s campaign leader Bushi Anand told this journalist that their candidate had enjoyed an enthusiastic response during the election campaign. But Anand admitted that teaching the young candidates the basics of grooming and public etiquette was a daunting task. He had the tedious task of giving a haircut to a noisy fan of Vijay and correcting his public behavior. This shows how Mr. Vijay is harnessing the raw power of the next generation of voters in the state, people who have no traditional loyalty to either the DMK or the AIADMK.
Perhaps that is why the party name seems to have made a conscious and noticeable shift from the term ‘Dravidian’, which is present in both the DMK and the AIADMK. Perhaps a new politics for a new generation.
His pledge that his party would avoid corruption is a blatant attack on the two major political parties, which control nearly 71% of the state’s total vote share (as of 2021) and have alternately ruled since 1967.
His claims that he shies away from politics based on religion, caste and creed are a clear criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has dominated the rhetorical war in the state in recent years. The BJP’s vote share increased marginally by 2.62% due to its alliance with AIADMK.
Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam aims to establish a presence among young voters and those seeking an alternative to the Dravidian corporate giants. They are Seeman’s Naam Tamilal Katchi (6.58% votes), Ramadoss’ Pattali Makkal Katchi (3.8%), Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (2.62%) and TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra. It will be a showdown between Kazhagam (2.35%). B.P.B.I.
For voters from minority communities looking for an alternative, Mr. Vijay’s party may be an attractive option. Political watchers may remember the controversy when Joseph Vijay mocked Bharatiya Janata Party’s H. Raja before the release of his film ‘Mersal’.
Vijay may have taken a cue from the writings of the late actor and politician Vijaykanth and turned his fan club into a political party. But he certainly became more cautious and paced himself. He has made it clear that his focus is on the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. He also declared that his party will not contest the 2024 Sabah elections and will not support any political party.
What direction Vijay’s political fortunes swing will depend, of course, on how the actor positions himself as a politician, whether he is approachable or aloof, or whether the people of Tamil Nadu are yet another It all depends on whether you’re willing to give the star-turned-politician a chance. .
(Sandhya Ravishankar is a journalist)
Disclaimer: These are the author’s personal opinions.