A lion even if alone, is the king of the jungle, actor-turned-politician Vijay declared at an election rally in the lead-up to the Tamil Nadu polls, sending a message to his political rivals.
With Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam or TVK, in the lead, the 16-second video clip is back in the limelight and steadily going viral.
"There are so many jackals and other animals in the forest but there will be only one lion. And even if it is single, it will be the king of jungle. It is not only a description but also a clear declaration," Vijay, 51, fighting his debut election, is heard saying in the undated video.
At 1 am, the TVK was leading in 107 of the state's 234 seats, only 11 short of the majority mark and the right to form its own government.
Vijay, in an off-camera interview to NDTV in January, indicated he wouldn't like to be branded as a kingmaker, which is more of a supporting act than the main driver.
"I will win. Why would I be kingmaker? Have you seen the crowds that are coming?" Vijay had told NDTV in January.
Vijay's party, which lacks a cohesive ideological narrative, banked on its strong leader identity and leveraged anti-incumbency issues against the MK Stalin-led DMK. Even as votes are still being counted, Vijay proved to be a big disruptor, displacing legacy leaders and winning the trust of Gen Z.
The debutant has made it clear that he will not get into any alliance with either the DMK or the AIADMK.
Vijay's family was seen celebrating his party's performance, watching TV at their residence while singing the 'whistle podu' song, which is also the party's symbol.
The party workers also celebrated outside the TVK's headquarters in Chennai as latest trends showed the party poised to emerge as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Enthusiastic party workers and supporters gathered in large numbers outside the party office, waving flags and distributing sweets to celebrate the party's performance.
