'Politics is not cine field, it's a battlefield': Actor-turned-politician Vijay

Vijay also criticised the DMK, alleging that "one family" is looting the state through "underground dealings." "I have left my acting career to join politics. I am here as your Vijay, trusting all of you. There's a group singing the same tune, labelling everyone who enters politics and deceiving the people. They are involved in underground dealings. Under the guise of the Dravidian Model, they are misleading people as an anti-people government," he said.

The BJP is our ideological opponent while the DMK is our political adversary,” said Vijay addressing a massive gathering in Villupuram district’s Vikravandi.

Vijay has announced facing the 2026 Assembly polls, spicing up the political battlefield long dominated by the Dravidian rivals DMK and the AIADMK, with a resurgent BJP under K Annamalai making some impressive strides in this year's Lok Sabha polls. The saffron party is keen to put up a good show in the hustings in 2026 as well.

Vijay, whose movies have been top grossers, unveiled his party in February this year, joining a list of Tamil cinema celebrities who had taken the political plunge.

He had unveiled the TVK party flag recently and the Sunday public conference at Vikravandi in this district is being keenly watched by political parties, observers and people alike as he is all set to unveil his vision for the state and the political agenda.

In his maiden public speech eight months after announcing the launch of TVK, Vijay said the late veterans MG Ramachandran and NT Ramarao where ridiculed as mere cinema actors when they made their political plunge "but they continue to remain in the hearts of the people" of the respective states, i.e Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. "Some here have been painting anyone entering politics with a particular colour, fooling people but they will be doing underground dealings, make noises during election and always talk about fascism. And create majority-minority fears among people who are united," he said, addressing the well-attended state public conference at Vikravandi in this district.

"You are calling an anti-people government as Dravida model rule and fooling people. Stop painting those opposing you with certain colours," he said. TVK's principle is everyone is equal by birth. "Should i need to say who is opposed to this," he asked.

While the divisive forces could be identified and even reveal themselves, a corrupt entity was like a virus and elusive. "It will enact a drama about ideology. Don the cloak of culture protector. It has no face, but only a mask. The mask is the face. The corrupt hypocrites are among us and are presently ruling us now," Vijay said.

TVK's one enemy was the divisive forces, while such corrupt hypocrites were the other. "Those spoiling the country with divisive politics is TVK's primary ideological enemy. The next is a selfish family looting Tamil Nadu in the name of Dravida model (governance), using the names of Periyar and Anna; its our political enemy," Vijay added.

TVK will not see Dravidam and Tamil nationalism as different. Explaining why he did not name anyone that he had criticised today, Vijay said, "I left their names out not out of fear, but we have not come here to name people and attack them using foul language." "We want to take forward decent politics with people's support, a decent approach and attack for ideological and political enemies." "Secular social justice ideologies will be our identity; democracy, equality, rational thinking, women's emancipation and a drugs-free Tamil Nadu (will be the focus). In our political journey, women will play a key role," he said.

Recalling his deceased sister, he said that just like her death had impacted him, the alleged suicide of medical aspirant, S Anitha from Ariyalur in the state who could not clear NEET, also had a profound impact on him. He argued against the need for the medical entrance exam.

While he exuded confidence of ensuring maximum public support in the 2026 Assembly polls that could possibly take TVK to the ruling saddle, he would however welcome allies to join him and would also give them share in power, something Tamil Nadu is not known for.

Earlier, the party's principles and action plan were revealed by TVK functionaries in Vijay's presence. Its principle will be based on the Tirukkural "pirappokkum ella uyirkkum," that says everyone is equal by birth. The party said it will strive for an equitable society without any discrimination based on caste, creed, religion, sex. It will oppose the "anti-people policies" of the state and Central governments.

Periyar, Kamaraj, BR Ambedkar, Queen Velu Nachiyaar and freedom fighter Anjalai Ammal would be the party's "ideological guiding lights," Vijay said.

Periyarist policies were not about atheism but others, including social justice and women's empowerment, for which he strove hard, Vijay said. The party would respect individual choices of faith. The party also batted for proportional representation and wanted a caste census for that.

On the occasion, Vijay was gifted a sword and copies of the Constitution, Bhagawad Gita, Qoran and the Bible.

*With Agency Inputs