Karunanidhi Cuts Ribbon, Young Vijay Stands Behind In Throwback Pic

Actor Vijay's blockbuster shock to the DMK is the biggest talking point of the day, not just in Tamil Nadu but across the country. The 51-year-old actor has steered his fledgling new party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, to a massive mandate in the assembly elections, breaking the duopoly of the Dravidian giants, DMK and AIADMK, after 62 long years. He is expected to form the next government, but first, he must gain the support of 10 more MLAs and prove his majority.

As the numbers game and alliance possibilities now take centrestage, a throwback image of Vijay with DMK veteran and former chief minister, the late M Karunanidhi, has created a buzz online.

Kalaingar wouldn't have dreamed that the kid behind him would one day destroy his party 🙏👍🔥 pic.twitter.com/7NNp6Ge73S

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 5, 2026

In the image, a young Vijay is seen standing behind as Karunanidhi cuts the inaugural ribbon at an event. Sharing it on his X handle, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma wrote, "Kalaingar wouldn't have dreamed that the kid behind him would one day destroy his party." The DMK has been led by Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin since the veteran leader's death.

Handing the DMK a resounding defeat, the TVK has emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu assembly. The party led by Vijay has won 108 of the state's total 234 seats, just 10 seats shy of the halfway mark. The DMK has been reduced to just 59 seats while the AIADMK managed to win 47 seats.

Vijay contested two seats, Trichy East and Perambur. He won both. Sources say he is likely to give up Trichy East and retain the latter. If that happens, a bypoll will follow in the vacated seat.

TVK insiders suggest the Tamil actor is also moving swiftly to form the government. They say the party is counting on backing from key DMK allies, including the Congress (5 seats), CPI (2 seats), CPM (2 seats), and VCK (2 seats), to prove its majority.