In a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) made a strong electoral debut by winning 107 seats in the 234-member assembly.
However, the party fell short of the majority mark by 11 seats.
TVK is expected to seek support from smaller parties that were part of either the DMK or the AIADMK alliances. Potential allies include Congress (5 seats), PMK (4 seats), Left parties, CPI(M), and VCK.
Indian National Congress In-charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, stated that he has submitted a report to Congress leadership, who will "take a call on Tamil Nadu." Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram congratulated TVK on its performance.
A notable result was in Kolathur, the long-time stronghold of Chief Minister MK Stalin, where TVK candidate VS Babu defeated him by 8,795 votes. TVK secured over 32 per cent of the votes, followed by DMK at 24.19 per cent and AIADMK at 21.22 per cent. These figures represent a decline from the 2021 assembly elections, where DMK and AIADMK both obtained over 30 per cent of vote shares.
MK Stalin conceded defeat in a post on X, saying, "We bow to and accept the verdict of the people. Congratulations to the victors!" He added, "In the past five years, we have created numerous projects and provided good governance to the people of Tamil Nadu. We have elevated Tamil Nadu in every way. In the electoral arena, we sought votes only by speaking of our achievements. The DMK, which has so far functioned as an exemplary ruling party for the people - henceforth will function as an exemplary opposition party."
BJP leader and former Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai described the result as indicative of a generational shift, writing, "I bow down to the people of TN for your verdict. Happy to see in my land, people have risen in one voice and spoken; No to buying of votes, No to dynastic politics & yes to a generational shift in politics."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated TVK on its performance and expressed gratitude to Tamil Nadu voters who supported the National Democratic Alliance. In a post on X, he stated, "Gratitude to the voters of Tamil Nadu who supported the NDA in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections. We will always remain at the forefront in addressing people's issues and improving their lives." He added, "Congratulations to TVK on their impressive performance. The Centre will leave no stone unturned in furthering the progress of Tamil Nadu and the well-being of their people."
Vijay's electoral success places him among iconic actor-turned-leaders such as NT Rama Rao, MG Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa. This outcome also signals a shift in Tamil Nadu politics away from the traditional DMK and AIADMK alliances that have alternately governed the state for several decades.