Actor-turned-politician Vijay on Monday evening made his first public appearance after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) delivered a stunning performance in the recently-concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026. 

The TVK, emerging as the front-runner to form the government in the South Indian state, disrupted the state’s long-standing political order by outpacing both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All Indian Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). 

TVK Chief sports white shirt, waves hands to fans

The TVK chief was spotted in a simple white shirt, and greeted hundreds of supporters who had congregated outside his parents’ residence in state-capital Chennai. He waved to the crowd first and folded his hands in gratitude, in a gesture to acknowledge the public’s support in the polls. The moment marked his first direct interaction with his supporters since early counting trends indicated a breakthrough electoral debut for his party. 

ECI’s trends show TVK leading in 100 constituencies

As per the latest trends from the Election Commission of India (ECI), TVK was leading in approximately 100 constituencies and had already bagged several spots in the 234-member Assembly. The numbers have positioned Vijay as a strong contender for the post of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM), succeeding MK Stalin.

The elevation has also placed him among a distinguished group of actor-turned-political leaders like NT Rama Rao, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, all of whom reshaped regional politics in their respective eras. 

Congratulatory messages pour in from film fraternity

Vijay’s electoral success drew widespread praise from across the South Indian film fraternity. Music maestro AR Rahman lauded the victory, expressing hope that Vijay would champion social justice, equality and corruption-free governance. Telugu icons Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan also extended a vote of congratulations, commending his vision and connection with the masses. 

What lies ahead for TVK?

With TVK on the brink of forming the government, Vijay’s transition from the silver screens to politics seems nearly complete. The final film of his acting career, Jana Nayagan, is awaiting a nod from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), fuelling speculation that he may step away from acting forever to focus completely on governance.