Synopsis
Vijay declares that the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be a showdown between the DMK and TVK, dismissing the AIADMK-BJP alliance as irrelevant. He asserts that his party is the true successor of M.G. Ramachandran's legacy, positioning TVK as a credible alternative.Key Takeaways
- 2026 elections will be a contest between DMK and TVK.
- Vijay claims AIADMK-BJP alliance is irrelevant.
- M.G. Ramachandran's legacy supports TVK.
- DMK and AIADMK accused of aiding BJP.
- AIADMK renewed alliance with BJP for NDA campaign.
Chennai, April 12 (NationPress) Tamil film icon and leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Vijay, has asserted that the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections will be a direct face-off between his party and the governing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), effectively disregarding the recently revived AIADMK-BJP alliance.
Vijay has branded the AIADMK-BJP coalition as inconsequential, arguing that it has been rejected by the Tamil Nadu electorate three times.
He criticized the AIADMK leadership for deviating from the principles of its founder, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), and claimed that MGR’s legacy now supports the TVK.
Vijay further accused both the DMK and AIADMK of covertly aiding the BJP.
“While the AIADMK is an open ally of the BJP, the DMK acts as its hidden associate,” he stated, positioning the TVK as the sole viable alternative to the two major Dravidian parties.
His comments followed a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially announced that the AIADMK would be the front-runner for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu.
This announcement sets the stage for a collaborative campaign by both parties leading up to the 2026 Assembly elections.
At a press briefing in Chennai, Amit Shah referred to this revived partnership as a “natural alliance” and designated AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) as the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate.
This revival is a crucial political shift, considering the AIADMK and BJP had separated in September 2023 after a tumultuous split.
The divide arose from contentious remarks made by Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, especially his comments aimed at esteemed Dravidian figures like C.N. Annadurai and J. Jayalalithaa, sparking significant backlash within the AIADMK.
Despite their previous collaborations in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly elections - where the BJP secured four seats and the AIADMK won 66 - the alliance deteriorated after Annamalai assumed leadership of the state party.
The eventual split between the AIADMK and BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections resulted in severe electoral losses for both parties.
As the 2026 elections draw near, Vijay’s TVK is strategically positioning itself as a strong new contender, aiming to challenge the long-standing supremacy of the DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu’s political arena.
