Vijay's TVK Wins 108 Seats in Tamil Nadu, Falls Short of Majority

Film star-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay stands on the brink of history in Tamil Nadu after his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party won 108 seats in the 234-member state assembly on Monday. The result fell 10 seats short of the 118 needed to form a government and disrupted the long-standing order between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Vijay's ascent draws comparisons to matinee idol M G Ramachandran, who split from the DMK in 1977 to launch his own party and serve as chief minister. Over the coming days, Vijay must pivot from drawing crowds to forging alliances with smaller parties and independents to claim power.

Tamil Nadu voters have alternated between the two major Dravidian parties for decades. Social scientist Shiv Visvanathan attributes Vijay's appeal to his energy. "Vijay carries a different kind of verve," Visvanathan said. "He offers a sense of fun, confidence and an aura of competence rooted in individuality and that gives him a different kind of power."

Since the vote, Vijay has visited temples and churches, with images circulating widely on television and phones. The state, shaped by rationalist ideas and the Self-Respect Movement for equal rights among marginalized castes, has a history of stars entering politics. Figures like Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa blurred cinema and governance.

Analysts note the DMK-AIADMK hold shows fatigue despite stability. "Vijay's timing as a politician is immaculate," Visvanathan said. "He arrives at a moment when established leaders are seen as jaded. He represents youth - and a new interplay of memory and messaging in how voters imagine their leaders."

Vijay's path included setbacks, such as deaths in a crush at a 2024 rally, though voters overlooked his initial response. His final film, Jana Nayagan, faced delays from India's film classification board despite a court challenge; no release date is set.

He launched TVK in 2024 but built support earlier. In 2009, he turned fan clubs into the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam welfare group for local aid, education, and relief. By 2011, it backed an AIADMK alliance. Over time, Vijay addressed youth issues like exams, jobs, corruption, and opposed the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act in speeches.

Pollster Pradeep Gupta of Axis My India sees strong backing from 18- to 39-year-olds, who form 42 percent of voters, plus first-timers, women, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes. Political strategist Prashant Kishor called him "the new hope for Tamil Nadu."

TM Krishna, a vocalist, author, and activist, said: "Elections are about stirring imagination. This is not a verdict against Dravidian politics. It is something else. Vijay offers a new imagination."

Dravidian politics, focused on social justice and welfare, has ruled for decades and drove 11.2 percent growth in 2024-25 with strong manufacturing and social metrics. Yet youth seek alternatives, unlike Rajinikanth or Kamal Haasan, who faltered politically.

Vijay targets the DMK as rival and the Bharatiya Janata Party as foe, aligning with the state's resistance to BJP growth. Critic Nilakantan R S questioned TVK's thin policies: "There is an absence of any original position on real issues. Virality has become the currency of his actions."

"This election is to herald change," Vijay said on the campaign trail. Party spokesperson Felix Gerald added: "People are tired of both major parties. They want change. They see TVK as that change."