'No' To BJP, 'No' To DMK. Actor Vijay's Solo Run In Tamil Nadu Next Year?

Superstar actor-politician Vijay has been confirmed as the chief ministerial candidate of his fledgling party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam, for the 2026 Tamil Nadu election.

At the party's executive meet in Chennai Friday, Vijay also made his political stance crystal clear - there will be no alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. "TVK will never align with our policy enemies and divisive forces," the actor thundered, emphasising what he has been saying for months now.

Vijay also made his feelings clear about the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - which he claims is 'secretly owned' by the BJP - and said there could be no deal with that party either.

Neither sentiment is new; back in March he launched all-out attacks on the BJP and DMK - over everything from delimitation, the 'imposition' of Hindi, devolution of GST collections, the increase in crimes against women, and the centre's 'one nation, one election' plan.

READ | Vijay Is TVK's Official Chief Minister Candidate, Won't Ally With BJP

The actor launched another scathing attack on the BJP today, accusing it of "dividing people on religious lines" and warning that "such attempts will never work in Tamil Nadu, where the roots of social justice, harmony, and equality run deep".

He also refreshed attacks on the DMK and Chief Minister MK Stalin, this time targeting the proposed construction of a second airport for Chennai, near Parandur.

READ | Vijay's 'Powerful Storm Coming' Warning Before Tamil Nadu Election

He warned the DMK that it was pushing the project through without public consultation, citing environmentalists' warnings about flood-prone runways and other safety concerns.

But making enemies of the BJP and DMK doesn't leave too many alliance options for Vijay.

AIADMK Is Vijay's Plan?

It leaves only the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is already allied with the BJP. Vijay hinted any deal could only happen if it 'broke free'. "We are not DMK or AIADMK to join with the BJP for selfish political gains..." he said, taking a swipe at the Dravidian heavyweights.

The actor, though, doesn't appear too flustered about his alliance options.

Instead, he has his eyes set on large-scale mobilisation; the TVK has set itself an ambitious target of signing up two crore members before next year's election. To that end, Vijay will hold a statewide tour between September and December to consolidate grassroots support.

Vijay Impact On Tamil Nadu Poll

And that, experts believe, is an insight into how the TVK might impact this election.

Historically, Tamil Nadu has a long history of actors in politics, but few have managed to replicate the success of past legends like CN Annadurai and MG Ramachandran, or contemporary icons like J Jayalalitha. Others, like Sivaji Ganesan, Vijaykanth, Sarath Kumar, and Kamal Haasan, have faced limited success, while Rajinikanth withdrew before contesting.

But Vijay's camp claims he is different. Because, unlike the others, he enters politics 'at the peak of his stardom' and not after retirement. His supporters believe that appeal, and his clean and charismatic image, will pay dividends, securing votes from youngsters and women.

It may not be enough for an absolutely dream debut, but it could be enough to steal a chunk of votes from the DMK and/or the BJP, leaving the tantalising prospect of Vijay as a 'kingmaker'.