Vijay's Party Wins Tamil Nadu Elections, Actor-Turned-Politician Becomes Chief Minister

Dealing a significant blow to his critics and those who underestimated him, actor-turned-politician Vijay emerged victorious in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) becoming the single-largest party and thus capturing rule in the state. Vijay’s victory sent shockwaves across the country, as most exit polls and political analysts had predicted that TVK’s impact would be only nominal. Although rumours about his political entry had been circulating since the late 2000s, he made a definitive entry only in early 2024 with the launch of TVK. Soon, Vijay announced that he would retire from acting after his 69th film to give his undivided attention to politics. That movie later became Jana Nayagan , which hit the screens on July 23 after being mired in a censorship controversy for over seven months. Cinema Anatomy | Jana Nayagan: Vijay’s propaganda film makes even Sura and Villu look like masterpieces Interestingly, Vijay, who currently serves as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, had once filed a lawsuit against 11 persons, including his parents, after his father, renowned filmmaker SA Chandrasekhar, registered a political outfit, All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (TVMI), with the Election Commission of India (ECI). During the controversy in 2020, Vijay distanced himself from the party and categorically denied any connection to it. But four years later, he launched TVK, underscoring that he harboured political ambitions. In fact, during a 2011 interview with NDTV , Vijay spoke about this and explained why he was hesitant to shift focus to politics at that time. Maintaining that he would enter politics at the appropriate time, the actor admitted that his efforts to create a strong fan base were part of his political aspirations. When asked if politics beckoned him and if it did, which party he would join, Vijay maintained, “Right now, my interest and my focus are on movies. There is no change in that. My focus is solely on which movie to do next and which way to travel. I wanted to be an actor. But I never expected that the people would take me to such a big stage. Time plays a crucial role.” Vijay continued, “In the same way, a point will come when I will reach a position. For that, the time, the situation, and the place must all align. Then, I will definitely take it up. I am firm that I need to do something for the people of Tamil Nadu. I am very certain about that. So if you ask what I am going to do now, I don’t have an answer.” Also Read | Vijay film Jana Nayagan crosses Rs 100 cr nett in India, eyes Rs 200 cr mark worldwide He added, “I have an interest, but now is not the apt time for it. So the time that brought me to such a good position will take me and place me there too. There is still ample time for that opportunity to come. However, this is not the one.” Vijay also maintained that he has been working to strengthen his fan base with the aim of eventually entering politics. “I am building that base. This is not a joke; I can’t just enter politics because people are saying something or writing something. The main concentration now will be on strengthening my fan base. I am constantly working towards that. What was once a fans’ association has become a people’s movement now, and we are working on it further. I will keep making it stronger. That’s what I’m doing now,” he said.