Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, widely known as ‘Thalapathy’, is on track to secure a major victory in Tamil Nadu as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), shows a strong performance in the assembly elections. The party has already won 53 seats and is leading in 54 more, placing it well ahead of its rivals, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Although TVK’s leads saw a dip earlier in the day, the party quickly recovered and regained its momentum.

Vijay himself is leading comfortably in both constituencies he contested from. He is ahead by large margins in Perambur as well as Trichy East, showing strong voter support in both regions. His personal performance has added to the party’s growing influence in the state.

The scale of TVK’s performance has drawn national attention. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Vijay and his party for its “impressive performance”. He also thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for supporting the NDA, acknowledging the significance of the results.

TVK chose to fight the elections independently and fielded candidates in all 234 assembly constituencies. The contest turned into a three-way battle between TVK, DMK, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite facing established political forces, TVK managed to create a strong impact across the state.

Vijay formally entered politics by launching TVK on February 2, 2024. The party was later registered by the Election Commission of India on September 8, 2024. From the beginning, Vijay positioned his party on modern Dravidian principles. He stated that only his party has the courage to take on the "evil force" and the "corrupt force".

Vijay has also expressed his ambition to replicate the success of M. G. Ramachandran, the iconic actor and former AIADMK leader, who rose to power in the state. Drawing parallels with that historic journey, Vijay believes he can create a similar political breakthrough.

In his criticism of rival parties, Vijay has described the DMK as an "evil force” and the BJP as an “ideological opponent.” His statements underline his attempt to position TVK as an alternative to both major political camps in Tamil Nadu.

TVK’s decision to contest alone played a key role in shaping its campaign. Vijay described the elections as a "democratic battle", rather than an electoral fight. Speaking about going solo, he had said, “This force of TVK will win even if no friendship force (alliance) is with us.” The party maintained this stance despite speculation about a possible alliance with BJP. TVK leaders clearly stated that no such partnership would happen.

Adding to the political narrative, TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna revealed that Vijay was offered the chief minister’s post along with 50 per cent of assembly seats by another party. However, Vijay chose to reject the offer and continue independently. Political strategist Niranjan Ramesh Babu had earlier said, “Vijay wants to be a lion, the main face, a future political leader.”

The Tamil Nadu assembly elections were held on April 23, 2026, in a single phase. The state recorded a high voter turnout of 85.10 per cent. In Perambur, which is constituency number 12 in Chennai, the turnout reached 89.74 per cent. In Trichy East, officially referred to as Tiruchirapalli constituency number 141 by the Election Commission, the turnout stood at 81.77 per cent.

Before the results, exit polls had predicted a close contest. Many pollsters expected the DMK-led alliance to return to power. However, Vijay was seen as a potential game-changer. Some comparisons were even drawn with MGR’s landmark victory in 1977.

Different agencies gave varied predictions for TVK’s performance. Axis My India projected that the party could win between 98 and 120 seats. Matrize estimated a much lower figure of 10 to 12 seats. Today’s Chanakya forecasted 63 to 74 seats, while Peoples Pulse suggested 18 to 24 seats. The actual trends, however, show TVK performing far stronger than several of these estimates.

The ongoing results indicate a major shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. Vijay’s rise and TVK’s strong showing suggest that the state may be witnessing the emergence of a powerful new political force.