Vijay wins Tiruchy East by 26,000 votes, TVK reshapes Tamil Nadu politics
Synopsis
In his very first electoral contest, actor-turned-politician Vijay didn't just win — he upended Tamil Nadu's entire political order. His TVK swept the state's Assembly elections on debut, most shockingly unseating Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Kolathur by 9,192 votes, signalling the possible end of six decades of unbroken Dravidian dominance.
Key Takeaways
Joseph Vijay won Tiruchy East by over 26,000 votes in his debut election on 4 May 2025 .
Stalin lost his Kolathur seat to TVK's V.S.
Babu by a margin of 9,192 votes .
TVK recorded victories across regions including Villivakkam , Sriperumbudur , Karaikudi , Mylapore , and Radhapuram .
NTK chief Seeman suffered his third consecutive Assembly election defeat in Karaikudi.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan lost Mylapore to TVK's Venkataramanan .
Security at Vijay's Chennai residence was heightened, with full-body screening for visitors, reflecting his rapid political ascent.
Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay secured a landslide victory from Tiruchy East by over 26,000 votes on 4 May 2025, leading his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to a historic debut triumph in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The result has dramatically redrawn the state's political map, dealing a severe blow to the Dravidian parties that have dominated Tamil Nadu for over six decades.
Scale of TVK's Debut Victory
Polling for all 234 constituencies was held in a single phase on 23 April, with votes counted across 62 centres on Monday. What began as a four-cornered contest involving the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), and TVK culminated in a sweeping surge for Vijay's party, marking a decisive shift away from the state's entrenched Dravidian order. TVK leaders termed the verdict a
Point of View
Or whether this is a protest wave that will recede once the novelty fades. Tamil Nadu has seen such moments before — MGR in 1977, Jayalalithaa's sweeps — and each reshaped politics for a generation. Whether Vijay's rise follows that arc or collapses under governance pressure will define the state's next decade.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
By how much did Vijay win in Tiruchy East?
C. Joseph Vijay won the Tiruchy East constituency by a margin of over 26,000 votes in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections counted on 4 May 2025. It was his first-ever electoral contest.
Did Chief Minister M.K. Stalin lose his seat?
Yes, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin lost his Kolathur constituency to TVK's V.S. Babu by a margin of 9,192 votes, one of the biggest upsets of the election. Key DMK figures Udhayanidhi Stalin and V. Senthil Balaji, however, retained their seats.
What is Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)?
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is the political party founded by actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay. The 2025 Tamil Nadu Assembly election marked the party's debut contest, in which it secured a historic victory and dramatically altered the state's Dravidian political order.
Which other notable candidates won or lost in the 2025 Tamil Nadu elections?
TVK's Vijay Dhamu, an auto driver, defeated former minister D. Jayakumar in Royapuram. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan lost Mylapore to TVK's Venkataramanan. NTK chief Seeman suffered his third consecutive Assembly defeat in Karaikudi. Assembly Speaker Appavu was unseated in Radhapuram by TVK's Satish.
What does TVK's win mean for Tamil Nadu's political future?
TVK's debut triumph signals a decisive shift away from the Dravidian dominance that has shaped Tamil Nadu politics for over six decades. With Vijay's party now a major force and the DMK's chief minister unseated, the state appears to be entering a new political phase, though TVK's governance capacity and institutional depth remain to be tested.
