Launched in 2024, the TVK has Vijay's shift into politics was not sudden as he had been doing groundwork since 2009, when he launched his fan club, the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief Vijay, buoyed by the support from the Left parties, on Friday called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan in Chennai in connection with securing an invite from him to form the government.
The AIADMK factions have reconciled after a period of division, with leaders claiming it was merely a 'difference of opinion' rather than a split. Rebel MLAs expressed their support for party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, and both sides withdrew petitions seeking disqualification of legislators.
With the assembly elections in fast approaching, the campaign juggernaut has started rolling through the streets of Tamil Nadu. While the 2G-scam hit Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam is doing everything it can to regain its popularity, Jayalalitha's whirlwind campaign is only gathering more steam. Rediff.com analyses the situation in poll-bound Tamil Nadu as election fever grips the state.
In an indirect reference to the meteoric rise of actor-politician C Joseph Vijay as chief minister in his maiden election in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has said he sometimes wonders how some political forces achieve success in a short span, admitting that their rapid progress leaves him with a "sense of envy".
Explore the fascinating journey of Tamil cinema's iconic duo, Vijay and Trisha, from their blockbuster films to persistent rumours of their link-up.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a significant overhaul of its national team under party president Nitin Nabin, introducing numerous new faces and promoting prominent leaders like former Union minister Smriti Irani to general secretary and former RSS functionary Ram Madhav to vice president. The revamp aims to balance youth and experience while preparing for upcoming assembly and general elections.
Actor Vijay's political party, TVK, has significantly impacted the Tamil Nadu political landscape in its debut election, challenging established political norms and achieving notable success.
Four and a half crore voters will decide the fate of 2,773 candidates.
Two MDMK MLAs, T M Rajendran and R Senthil Selvan, have refused to resign from their Assembly seats despite demands from MDMK General Secretary Vaiko. They assert their status as DMK legislators, having won on the DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol, and have pledged loyalty to DMK leadership, including M K Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Tamil Nadu's AIADMK, leading the NDA in the state, has released its first list of 23 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, renominating key leaders and fielding experienced legislators from their traditional strongholds.
'When I am not in politics, why should I be jealous of him?...'
Building a party from scratch and leading it to electoral success is an entirely different challenge.
According to pollster Pradeep Gupta, years of TMC "misrule" that created a "climate of fear", Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma and the organisational abilities of Amit Shah and the RSS brought the BJP to power in West Bengal.
'The feeling is that Rajinikanth is pro-Modi than anti-Modi.'
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has criticised his party's decision to ally with the TVK in Tamil Nadu, calling it 'dreadful' and 'low political opportunism'. He fears it could facilitate the entry of the BJP into Tamil Nadu's Dravidian political landscape.
Vijayakanth's DMDK may play a key role as Tamil Nadu's political parties scramble for allies to capture the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats.
Vijay was appointed CM after he presented letters of support from the VCK and the IUML who have two MLAs each.
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dig up the perceived past of the DMK rival, now under a new leader in M K Stalin, may not gel with the voters, both old and new. If they are still going to vote for the AIADMK-BJP combine, it will be for entirely different reasons, and despite Modi's poll speeches, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The TVK has ended the nearly six-decade dominance of DMK and AIADMK in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, securing 108 out of 234 constituencies in its debut, but falls short of the 118 seats needed for an absolute majority, prompting discussions on coalition options and the governor's role.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin reiterated his call for the abolition of Sanatana Dharma, claiming it divides people, during his maiden speech as the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. He also addressed concerns regarding the positioning of the Tamil invocation song in government events.
The counting of votes for all 824 seats across four states and one Union Territory will be held on May 4.
TVK chief Vijay has released his manifesto for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, focusing on women's welfare, education, agriculture, and job creation.
M K Alagiri, the disgruntled son of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam patriarch M Karunanidhi, has reached out to the Bharatiya Janata Party with an offer of support in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The announced election schedule for five assemblies reveals fewer phases, a condensed voting period, longer gaps between polling days, and a delayed counting process compared to previous elections.
With the Tamil Nadu electorate having given him an unprecedented mandate that had eluded his father the late M Karunanidhi, Stalin has to prove his worth, ensuring at the same time that the Dravidian drag on the AIADMK's side does not open up space for the BJP to make inroads in the state, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday appointed Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and invited him to form the government after he staked claim, submitting a letter on his election as legislature party leader.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
The Dravidian model of politics seems to depend on freebies, feeds on corruption and brazenly encourages crony capitalism, says M R Venkatesh.
The AIADMK is grappling with a deepening internal rift as factions vie for leadership, threatening the party's stability and future in Tamil Nadu politics.
South India's manufacturing, construction, and services sectors are grappling with severe labour shortages, prompting employers to offer attractive incentives like free air tickets and salary increments to lure migrant workers back from their home states after recent assembly elections.
DMK Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin has launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing the former ally of 'stabbing the DMK in the back' and blaming them for the BJP's consecutive national victories. He exhorted party cadre to 'never trust the Congress again'.
A Ganesh Nadar and Saisuresh Sivaswamy, on the campaign trail with H Vasanthakumar, the Congress's businessman candidate in Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu Youth Congressis getting a long awaited revamp. the organisation's office bearers are in Delhi to discuss the deatils. In Uttar Pradesh and Punjab the same strategy paid rich dividends for the party in the Lok Sabha polls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's new national team integrates women, minority leaders, and regional representatives to strengthen its organisational structure and national appeal.
A keen contest is on the cards for the sixth seat in the biennial election.
'The financial situation of Tamil Nadu is much worse than it was in 2016.' 'The finance minister's is a horrendous job.' 'I am certainly not going to ask for it.'
For quite some time, there was speculation that actor-politician Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam and the DMK would sign up with the strategist for the 2021 assembly polls.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin was on Tuesday unanimously elected as legislature party leader and he is to be sworn-in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu on May 7.
