Tamil cinema and politics have had a long relationship. It is no surprise then that 49-year-old actor C Joseph Vijay excited his fans and political leaders alike by his announcement of his foray into politics.
Given his popularity among the youth because of a saviour image on-screen, his decision to set up a political party has raised several questions. The Tamil news channels have been debating for who does the bell toll or will he get tossed out because too many players are already out in the field.
Vijay Now, Rajini Then
Last time such excitement was seen followed superstar Rajinikanth joining politics in 2017. He formed his political party, Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM), but the political stint lasted only till 2021 – before the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Suddenly, citing his health, he dissolved the party and declared no intention of returning to politics, shattering his fans who believed that he would usher in his brand of "spiritual politics."
Vijay's "Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam" (loosely translated as the Tamil Victory Association) promises a blend of the political philosophies of dalit icon BR Ambedkar, social reformist Periyar and backward class leader Kamaraj, who was chief minister of Tamil Nadu (then Madras State) between 1954 and 1963 and later president of the Indian National Congress under Jawarharlal Nehru.
Vijay has no plans for the Lok Sabha polls later this year but is keen that his party makes waves in the TN assembly polls in 2026. He appears to be following the model of late MG Ramachandran (MGR) who broke away from the DMK in 1972 to set up the AIADMK. However, he contested the assembly polls only in 1977 when he had crisscrossed Tamil Nadu, covering several villages and towns.
By speaking out against the current political situation in TN, which he says is "fraught with administrative deterioration, corruption, and divisive politics," Vijay has set himself up against the existing players.
Whose Votes Will Vijay Target?
His target will be woo away the voters of the ruling DMK, main opposition AIADMK led by former CM Edapadi Palaniswami and its splinter groups, besides the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vanniyar-dominated Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), senior actor Kamal Hasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which has a big sway among the Scheduled Castes.
As a film personality, Vijay does have a big advantage over TN CM MK Stalin's heir apparent Udayanidhi Stalin, who is set to be projected as DMK's CM face in the 2026 elections.
But Udayanidhi has a huge organisational base of the DMK to thwart this challenge to a great extent. Udayanidhi too was an actor before he entered politics and became an MLA and minister in his father's government in 2022. He has huge stakes in film production and distribution.
Therefore, there is a reasonable assumption among critics of the DMK that Vijay's entry could be in concert with the DMK leadership's plans to divide the anti-DMK votes and ensure its win in 2026.
In 2021, Kamal Hasan's MNM and Seeman's NTK had split the anti-DMK votes and helped Stalin steer the DMK to an impressive win. Today, Kamal Hasan is closer to the DMK and the Congress.
Since many of Vijay's films have financial patrons who are part of the DMK family, his political ambition could be curtailed anytime like in the case of Rajnikanth.
Vijay’s Preparations For Politics
However, Vijay has announced that he would quit films once his two pending projects are completed. Though he is at the peak of his popularity
and success in cinema happened at a relatively young age, Vijay has made it clear that he won't continue acting like MGR or Kamal Hasan even after their entry in politics.
"I have one more film that I have signed. I will finish it and completely involve myself into politics. I have been preparing myself for my political journey for a long time. I will devote myself to the people of Tamil Nadu. This is the only way I can give back to my people," Vijay was saying in a statement announcing the launch of his party.
Vijay is currently shooting for his film 'The Greatest of All Time' (GOAT) directed by Venkat Prabhu. His last film, Leo, was a huge success, earning Rs 650 crore in box office. It was released in October last year.
Vijay is said to be working with director Karthik Subbaraj under Kalanithi Maran's Sun Pictures for his 69th film, 'Thalapathy 69', which will be his last film as an actor.
Among his challengers, Vijay should be a big source of worry for IPS officer-turned-politician and BJP's TN head, K Annamalai, who is leading his party's campaign for growth on the basis of ideology and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's standing in an overwhelmingly Dravidian politics-dominated TN.
Vijay is, of late, seen as having an anti-BJP outlook. The actor's apparent anti-GST dialogues in his 2017 action flick 'Mersal' had received flak from TN BJP leaders.
In 2011, Vijay had made a public appearance with social worker Anna Hazare during the ‘India Against Corruption’ movement. In 2014, during the Lok Sabha elections, Vijay went to meet Modi who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP. In 2017, he lent support for the pro-jallikattu protests in Chennai. A year later, he also met the families of the victims of Thoothukudi police firing as a show of support for protests against the then AIADMK government.
Vijay is the son of well-known film director S A Chandrasekhar and playback singer Shoba Chandrasekhar. In October 2020, there was buzz about Chandrasekhar joining the BJP. He later clarified that it's just a mere rumour and that he has no idea of entering politics for now. Vijay is often known to distance himself from his father's public postures.
Shekhar Iyer was senior associate editor of Hindustan Times and political editor of Deccan Herald. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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