Tamil actor Vijay launches political party 'Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam'
Tamil actor Vijay on Friday announced the launch of his new political party—Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the actor shared that the party's mission is to establish "fundamental political change" with a transparent, caste-free, and corruption-free administration. This announcement follows a meeting in Chennai last week, where Vijay's fan club, Vijay Makkal Iyakkham, approved the formation of the political party.
Why does this story matter?
Vijay's political debut will mark another high-profile entry from the Tamil Nadu film industry after the likes of Kamal Haasan, the late Vijayakanth, MG Ramachandran, and Sivaji Ganesan, among others. In fact, the actor's political ambitions were publicly known for almost a decade. Previously, Vijay could be seen advising young children to prevent their parents from accepting money in exchange for votes. He advised them to read about political thinkers such as BR Ambedkar, Periyar EV Ramasamy, and K Kamaraj.
Party's goals and upcoming elections
"We are making an application today to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to register our party 'Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam'," the actor said. He also said that the party will not participate in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Instead, the party's objective is to compete and win the 2026 state legislative assembly elections. After receiving ECI's approval, the party intends to hold public meetings and events. During these meetings, the party will introduce its principles, flag, symbol, and action plans.
Vijay makes announcement on X
Vijay to quit films for politics
He emphasized that politics is not just another career for him but a "sacred people's work" and his "deepest desire." Vijay also declared that he would leave the film industry after completing his 69th film. He is currently filming his 68th, Greatest of All Time (GOAT). "I'll complete the project... And I will embark on this journey to serve the people of Tamil Nadu. That, I believe, is my debt of gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu," he said.
