Chennai, March 4 (NationPress) Senior AIADMK figure and former minister D. Jayakumar on Tuesday refuted actor-turned-politician Vijay's aspirations to establish a government in Tamil Nadu by 2026, labeling it a “daydream”, akin to the BJP's ambitions for the state.

Jayakumar argued that while anyone can dream of forming a government, actualizing that dream presents a different set of challenges.

“Vijay may have expressed such sentiments to motivate his party members, which is typical among political figures. Nonetheless, it will remain just a daydream,” he remarked to reporters here.

This statement came in reaction to Vijay’s recent assertion that his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is rising as a significant political force in Tamil Nadu and will make history in the forthcoming elections, reminiscent of the landmark victories of 1967 and 1977. In 1967, the DMK, under C.N. Annadurai, ousted the Congress government, marking a pivotal change in the state’s political landscape. A decade later, in 1977, M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and his newly established AIADMK triumphed over the DMK to seize power.

Jayakumar strongly opposed any comparisons between MGR and Vijay, asserting that “equating a towering leader like MGR with the leader of a fledgling party is unacceptable”.

He also criticized the Union government for its policies, including the enforcement of a three-language system and the withholding of approximately 2,400 crore from Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha initiative.

Vijay officially introduced his TVK on February 2, 2024, positioning his party against corruption and divisive politics. Although he opted out of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he declared that the TVK will participate in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. On August 22, 2024, Vijay unveiled the party’s flag and flag song at the TVK’s headquarters in Chennai. The TVK subsequently held its inaugural conference on October 27, 2024, in Vikravandi, Villupuram district, attracting an estimated crowd of three lakh people. The event caused significant traffic disruptions, leading to diversions on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway.

During his address at the conference, Vijay sharply criticized both the DMK and the BJP, labeling the BJP as his ideological adversary and the DMK as his political foe. He accused the DMK of being a “family-centric party that exploits the Dravidian identity for personal gain” and condemned the BJP for engaging in “divisive politics”.

Following these comments, the DMK branded Vijay and the TVK as the “C team” of the BJP.

Vijay’s impact on Tamil Nadu politics has been increasing since his fan club, the All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), won 115 out of the 169 seats it contested in the 2021 local body elections. In contrast, Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) failed to secure any seats. This success has bolstered Vijay’s position in the political realm. He has also made it clear that the TVK will only collaborate with parties that acknowledge his leadership. Political analysts suggest these actions indicate that Vijay is positioning himself as a contender for the Chief Minister’s post in the 2026 Assembly elections.