Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Monday, 4 May congratulated actor-turned-politician Vijay and his newly-formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for what he called a "spectacular" electoral debut in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, as trends pointed to a stunning upset against both the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led alliances.

TVK's Commanding Lead

As vote counting was still underway, trends from the Election Commission of India (ECI) at 8:36 pm IST showed the TVK having won 79 seats and leading in 28 others — a decisive haul for a party contesting its very first election. Vijay himself was leading from both the Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituencies, the two seats from which he contested.

What Karti Chidambaram Said

Speaking to reporters, Chidambaram was unequivocal in his praise. "The people have voted for them," he said, adding that the mandate now rests with the TVK to "cobble up a working majority and to give a good government to the people of Tamil Nadu." He acknowledged the weight of public expectation, saying, "I am sure they have a lot of expectations from him."

The Congress MP also noted that Vijay "has broken many conventional operating procedures in politics," a remark that underscored how unconventional the TVK's rise has been. Chidambaram added that his own party, the Indian National Congress (INC), would need to reflect on the campaign's lessons. "As a political party, we will take all these points from this campaign," he said, while insisting there was "nothing to take away from Vijay" — the success, he stressed, was entirely the TVK's.

Stalin's Shock Defeat in Kolathur

The most dramatic development of the day was the reported defeat of Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin in the Kolathur Assembly constituency — a sitting stronghold. The loss, if confirmed, would mark a historic setback for the DMK and signal a seismic realignment in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, which has been dominated by the Dravidian duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK for decades.

Vijay's Family Reacts

Earlier in the day, Vijay visited his parents' residence in Chennai and waved to supporters gathered outside. His father, filmmaker S.A. Chandrasekhar, told reporters that his son had long harboured political ambitions rooted in public service. "For more than 20 years, he had been planning, and in his mind, he wanted to do something for society. But he was expecting the correct time, so he felt this would be the correct time," Chandrasekhar said.

What Comes Next

With the TVK on course for a majority or near-majority, attention will now shift to government formation. Whether Vijay seeks alliance partners or attempts to govern independently will define the next chapter of Tamil Nadu politics. The scale of the upset — a debutant party potentially displacing two entrenched Dravidian formations — is being described as one of the most dramatic electoral shifts in the state's post-independence history.