Chennai, March 17 (IANS) Actor-turned-politician Vijay has firmly dismissed speculation of an alliance with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), announcing that his party, TVK, will contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections independently.

The decision is set to reshape the electoral landscape, paving the way for a high-stakes four-cornered contest in the state.

Speaking at a meeting of TVK leaders in Pattinapakkam, Vijay made it clear that the party has not engaged in alliance discussions with any political formation.

“We are going to contest elections alone. Go to the constituencies and intensify field work. The list of candidates will be announced soon. I will also tour across Tamil Nadu. We will definitely win,” he said, projecting confidence ahead of the party’s maiden electoral battle.

Vijay’s announcement comes amid recent reports suggesting that talks between TVK and the BJP-led NDA were in advanced stages.

Political observers note that efforts had been made to turn the contest into a triangular fight by bringing TVK into the AIADMK-BJP alliance. However, ideological differences and leadership ambitions appear to have derailed the negotiations.

Sources indicate that the BJP had offered TVK around 60 seats along with the Deputy Chief Minister’s post. In response, TVK is believed to have sought a power-sharing arrangement with Vijay as Chief Minister for the first half of the term — a proposal reportedly rejected by AIADMK leadership, including Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

With TVK opting to go solo, the electoral contest is now expected to feature four major fronts — the DMK-led alliance, the AIADMK-BJP combine, Vijay’s TVK, and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), which is also contesting independently.

Meanwhile, TVK has begun finalising its candidates, with selections reportedly completed for around 60 constituencies. The party is likely to release its full list and manifesto soon as it gears up for an aggressive statewide campaign.

Vijay is likely to contest from Perambur, while key leaders such as Aadhav Arjuna (Villivakkam) and Anand (T Nagar) are expected to be fielded. Several other names, including Rajmohan Arumugam, Arul Prakasam, and P. Venkataraman, are also under consideration as the party focuses on strengthening both its organisational and electoral presence.

–IANS

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