CHENNAI: Ten days after actor-politician Vijay’s announcement regarding forming a coalition government in the 2026 Assembly election, which sparked speculation about potential shifts in alliances in the DMK and AIADMK camps and who would lead the alliance in such a scenario, his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Wednesday clarified that any alliance for the election would be led only by the TVK.
Party sources also confirmed that Vijay will attend a book launch on December 6 in which VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan and several others are expected to participate. VCK deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna, the publisher of the book on BR Ambedkar’s principles, is organising the event.
While the electoral strength of the TVK, which got formally registered as a political party only in September, has not been tested yet in any election, candidates supported by the All-India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), precursor of the TVK, won 129 seats in the 2021 local body polls. Notably, the TVK is still in the process of appointing office-bearers for all party posts at state and district levels.
A senior functionary told TNIE that only those parties that are willing to accept the TVK leadership can join hands with the party as the TVK will not take a subordinate role in any coalition. “During the inaugural conference, our leader (Vijay) expressed hope that the party will secure a majority on its own to form the government. But despite this (majority of our own), we are willing to share power with alliance partners who support us. The alliance, however, will be headed by the TVK,” he said.
He further mentioned that state and district-level office-bearers will be announced soon.
The functionary also dismissed reports about launching a new satellite news channel named ‘Vaagai’, adding that the party has not submitted any application for launching a news channel.
Although the assembly election is nearly 17 months away, alliance discussions among various parties have already begun following TVK’s October 27 conference near Vikravandi, which attracted thousands of supporters.
Chief Minister M K Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin have reiterated that the ruling DMK will be voted back to power in 2026. AIADMK is also believed to have instructed its members to refrain from criticising all political parties other than the DMK and the BJP.
We would want Vijay to join hands with us: BJP
Dharmapuri: Welcoming actor Vijay’s entry into politics, BJP state vice-president K P Ramalingam said his party did not view Vijay or the TVK as political foes. “We would like him to join hands with us in the fight against corruption. We are a party with several crores of members across the country striving to create a society devoid of corruption, religious persecution and other divisions. DMK is the key enemy that TVK must focus on,” he told reporters outside Dharmapuri Combined Court Complex.