Will Vijay Script a New Political History in TN?

Another star in the political firmament of Tamil Nadu has been on a course for the past few months to blaze a new trail in the state. Thalapathy (Commander) Vijay, as he is lovingly called by his fans, has been gathering huge crowds on his two months long political journey.

State chief minister MK Stalin has taken note of it. The state authorities are trying to put spokes in his wheel but he is putting up with it all and going ahead with mass political contact a la Prashant Kishor in Bihar. He has been in the national media limelight for his tweets, aggressive statements against the BJP and the DMK.

Whenever a popular actor starts a political party in Tamil Nadu, people start ranting an old refrain: ‘not everyone can become’ MGR (MG Ramachandran), the first actor to become chief minister of the state.

Several actors have tried their luck in politics since then but most of them failed. The list includes prominent names such as Sivaji Ganesan, K Bhagyaraj, T Rajendar, Karthik, Kamal Haasan, and Sarathkumar.

The only star who got noticeable success was Captain Vijayakanth. The 1980s action hero joined forces with the AIADMK. His party, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), won 29 seats in the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. This strong showing elevated Vijayakanth as the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly. It happened for the first time in decades that a party other than the DMK or AIADMK got this honour.

Born to prominent director SA Chandrasekhar, known for his revolutionary and thought-provoking films, and playback singer Shoba Chandrasekhar, Vijay started as a child actor and acted in a half dozen films directed by his father. He debuted in the lead role in vigilante action film Naalaiya Theerpu in 1992.

His derision for not having handsome looks did not bog him down. He silenced his critics with blockbuster films one after another. He is now one of the highest-paid actors in the country. Anecdotes have it that he charges over 200 crores per film. But his journey to stardom has been quite a struggle. Many of his films invited social and political protests. He faced the wrath of both DMK for his 2011 movie Kaavalan and that of AIADMK for 2013 film Thalaivaa and 2018 release Sarkar.

He also drew the ire of BJP in 2017 for his film Mersal where he spoke dialogues criticizing GST and Digital India introduced by the Narendra Modi government.

Despite the DMK and the AIADMK not considering Vijay a serious contender in the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Election, one can't ignore the fact that he has become a household name and generated a good amount of goodwill among the young and women voters.

Political experts claim that Vijay is already seen as a growing threat to the DMK and the AIADMK. TVK was started just 20 months ago, but unlike any other new party in the past, Vijay's party is gathering huge crowd at its conferences. Secondly, the media coverage Vijay gets is something even major political parties wish they had. Carving a lonely furrow has positioned him as an alternative in the state. Vijay calls BJP as his 'ideological enemy' and the DMK as his 'political enemy'.

Despite having a weak organisation at the grassroots level, TVK is still much better than most newly formed parties. Vijay's fan clubs are three decades old and active across the state. His focus on the welfare of women, elderly persons, youths, and the marginalized groups had struck a positive chord with people.

First-time voters’ preference for a new candidate or political party is likely to favor Vijay big time. The TVK chief has continually spoke on the issues that affected the state like NEET and the Jallikattu ban even before he entered politics.

Having a Christian identity, Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar has also a fair chance of getting a certain percentage of their votes, particularly in Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli districts which have a high percentage of Christian population. With corruption changes haunting both DMK and AIADMK, a clean slate political image might help him win the support of those who want a corruption-free regime.

Though Vijay is a popular cine star, politics is a completely different ball game. Unlike a fan, who stays loyal whether a movie does well or not, a cadre might not continue to be that consistent.

Vijay has so far been showered with praises. Now he will have to face the nasty world of politics where no holds are barred. His noble persona might also work against him. The explosive punch-line speaking action hero you see on-screen is merely a testament to how skilled an actor Vijay is. Many of his co-actors, friends and journalists describe him as a man of few words. Running a party with an iron fist and winning elections is much more difficult than starring in a commercial movie.

Dealing with DMK and AIADMK cadres on the ground is an uphill task. Their cadres live and breathe politics day in and day out. Meanwhile, many TVK cadres were caught on camera doing immature things on several occasions. TVK is still on a learning curve. The cadres have got to get their act together.

With Vijay posing himself as an alternative, the anti-incumbency votes might split between AIADMK and TVK, which might eventually help DMK retain power.

Vijay has also struggled with his filtered speeches, having to look at notes each time he forgets his lines. For a seasoned actor who has been a star in the film industry for 30+ years, not being able to memorize a few minutes of speech is surprising.

Another problem Vijay is facing is his reluctance to meet media persons and take questions. It is a huge disadvantage as people are getting to hear his scripted speeches only, not what he actually feels about certain issues and topics.

TVK has also faced scrutiny for not condemning the caste-inspired murders in Tamil Nadu. He kept mum on the murder of Dalit techie Kavin Selvaganesh for fear of losing political support of the dominant community involved in the 'honour' killing. It only goes to show that his party is just another political outfit that is following the dos and don'ts of caste-based politics. In addition, he has also been labeled as a "Weekend Politician", who meets people only on weekends. It is also something which Vijay has to look into and ensure he is available for people 24/7.

Vijay might find it hard to attract the voters who have been voting for the two Dravidian parties for decades. TVK is also facing a tough competition from the Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), whose core ideology is based on Tamil identity. The exchange of barbs with this party has resulted in TVK cadres spending more time on social media wars with NTK cadres, rather than concentrating on the groundwork.

At the moment, he looks to be a disruptor. We have to wait and watch his moves in the coming days to see whether he can become the commander of the state as well.