TVK’s first conference changed political climate of Tamil Nadu, says Vijay

Claiming that the first State conference of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam held in Vikravandi last year had changed the political climate of Tamil Nadu, party founder Vijay said Thursday’s second conference in Madurai was to declare with confidence that the State would definitely face change of guard after the 2026 Assembly election.

Addressing a packed crowd at the venue on 500-acre sprawling farmland near Madurai, Mr. Vijay said the party had been facing a lot of criticism from its political opponents since the first conference. He said just like Tamil Nadu saw power changing hands in 1967 and 1977, it would see another change of guard in 2026.

He justified placing cutouts of the founder of the DMK, C.N. Annadurai, at the venue.

Stating that his critics were raising several doubts over the TVK, Mr. Vijay said first they had doubts over his entry into politics and whether he could hold big party conferences. “Then they doubted whether people would support me. When they saw a huge crowd around me, they said all the crowd would not get translated into votes,” he said.

Pointing at the failures encountered by his seniors from cinema field after entering politics, Mr. Vijay said his critics also claimed the TVK could not capture power in Tamil Nadu.

“I am telling all the political pundits that just do not underestimate that. This crowd will not just convert into votes, but also land a bombshell on those who are giving anti-people rule. It will definitely chart the route for the TVK to St. George Fort (the secretariat of Tamil Nadu Government),” he said.

His entry into politics was to give top priority to the safety of women, children and the aged, he claimed. Besides, his policy of governance would focus on issues pertaining to the youth, farmers, weavers, fishermen, destitute elders, the differently abled and the third gender, for whom the government should give special attention, he added.

“The TVK has not been floated for mere political advantage, but to implement the noble ideologies of the mentors of the party like Periyar, K. Kamaraj, B.R. Ambedkar, Rani Velu Nachiyar and Anjalai Ammal. These ideologies would not be compromised at all,” he said.