Tamil Nadu | Disruptor tweaks the Dravidian script

A lot of eyes these days are following a moving line in Tamil Nadu: the new X-factor that has emerged in the shape of actor Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Attempting to carve out an independent path—a rare ‘third option’ for an electorate long trapped in a binary—he’s being judged, in early estimates, to have more wind in his sail than is usual for political forces that do not swim with either of the two main Dravidian fronts.It doesn’t hinder Vijay’s chances that the headlines are full of him these days: a new symbol allotment (the whistle), summons from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the Karur stampede in September, censor trouble over a film meant to put him in orbit ahead of voting, alliance talks.... From all the complex signalling, his political identity is beginning to acquire sharper outlines.Which leaves the bigger picture hazier. For one, of late, Vijay has moved from selective criticism—targeting only the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)—to being an equal-opportunity offender, openly hitting at the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) too. With his unquantified vote share potential, this is giving the upcoming assembly election an unpredictable shape. The long shadow of the Karur stampede, which occurred during a TVK event and resulted in 41 deaths, seems to have destabilised past equations. FRIENDSHIP SOURS.preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}In its immediate aftermath, the AIADMK had backed the TVK, effectively preventing it from being isolated politically, even inviting it for an anti-DMK front. For months, Vijay, too, was tactically reciprocating; indeed, he even managed to blame the DMK for allowing space to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) , calling it an “indirect surrender”, while giving more headroom to saffron’s actual ally.That tentative axis has not survived the sustained scrutiny Vijay is facing on Karur, including the Supreme Court-ordered CBI probe. Perhaps it’s reflected rancour, perhaps a growing sense that he may profit more in a solo sortie. Either way, he’s now accusing the AIADMK of betraying legacy by hitching its wagon to a force ‘incompatible with Tamil Nadu’—narrowing the space for future accommodation. In response, the AIADMK leadership has been silent, but its IT wing has mounted aggressive salvos on Vijay, questioning his finances, his political credibility and his conduct on Karur.There are no formal opinion polls yet, but political trackers and informal surveys circulating within parties suggest a more decent take-home for the TVK than for past solo voyagers. Younger voters and first-timers, in particular, could be drawn to his outsider appeal. Even a modestly good vote share could matter. Prior reckoning had put the DMK as the vulnerable party, now the AIADMK’s base is not safe either. The TVK may not need to win many seats to reshape the contest. Its presence could create several triangular fights, complicating calculations for both the Dravidian majors.Since there’s nothing like turbulence on the cultural front to create some good political capital in Tamil Nadu, the prolonged delays Vijay’s Jana Nayagan has run into with the Central Board of Film Certification could sharpen the script for him further. Legal battles over it eventually reached the Supreme Court, and TVK supporters are citing it as more evidence of institutional arm-twisting. In short, the pressure cooker is building up to the ‘whistle’ moment.- EndsPublished By: Shyam BalasubramanianPublished On: Feb 6, 2026Tune InMust Watch

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Tamil Nadu | Disruptor tweaks the Dravidian script

Vijay, the new show in town, is altering equations for all sides in the Tamil Nadu pre-poll heat. Neither the DMK, nor the AIADMK is entirely immune to his vote-slicing potential

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