Tamil superstar Vijay’s party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is set to hold its first state conference at Vikkaravandi in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district on Sunday.
Vijay has announced that the conference will unveil the TVK’s ideology, principles, and goals. He will also address the party’s stance on various issues and outline strategies for party cadres and supporters.
After years of anticipation, Vijay launched TVK on February 2 this year and unveiled the party’s flag and symbol on August 22 at its headquarters in Chennai.
Ahead of the conference, Vijay, in a social media post, emphasised the importance of discipline, urging attendees to follow traffic regulations and police protocols.
State intelligence reports suggest that around 200,000 people are expected to attend the conference, where the venue will feature cutouts of prominent Tamil figures such as reformer E.V.S. Periyar, Rani Velu Nachiyar, K. Kamaraj, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Vijay himself.
Since the launch of TVK, Vijay’s political statements have sparked curiosity among his followers and political observers, with seemingly contradictory positions on some issues. He had congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his third consecutive win, as well as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu on his victory in the Andhra Pradesh elections and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, both of whom are affiliated with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, Vijay has also been critical of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), claiming it was introduced with divisive motives.
Despite these mixed signals, Vijay remains a force in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. His fan club, All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), contested 169 seats in the October 2021 local body elections and won 113 -outperforming superstar Kamal Haasan’sMakkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK), both of which failed to secure seats.
This success propelled Vijay toward officially launching his political party. Vijay’s entry into Tamil politics adds a new dimension to a landscape dominated by Dravidian majors, DMK and AIADMK, and many are keen to see where his political ideology will align.