Chennai, July 4 (IANS) In a major political announcement, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Friday named its President, actor-turned-politician Vijay, as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

The decision was made at the party’s executive committee meeting held at its headquarters in Panaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai.

Over 1,000 party functionaries, including district-level executives, attended the gathering.

Vijay also unveiled the party’s roadmap for the next few months, including a statewide tour starting in September and the party’s second state-level conference, scheduled for August.

Addressing the executive committee, Vijay took a firm stand against aligning with either of the two major political parties in the state — the DMK and the BJP.

“TVK will never enter into alliances for selfish political gains. Whether it is the BJP or the DMK, our party will not stand with either. If there is an alliance in the future, it will be one led by TVK and opposed to both the DMK and BJP,” he asserted.

The actor-politician emphasised that the party’s ideological integrity was non-negotiable. He accused the BJP of exploiting religious sentiments and attempting to divide people for political gain.

“While such toxic strategies may work elsewhere, they will never succeed in Tamil Nadu, which is firmly rooted in the values of social justice, brotherhood, and equality,” he said.

Vijay also made a strong response to the disrespect shown by some national parties towards iconic Tamil leaders.

“Any party that insults leaders like Thanthai Periyar, Arignar Anna, or other revered figures of Tamil Nadu will not succeed here,” he said, taking a clear jab at the BJP.

Criticising the ruling DMK, Vijay condemned the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur in Kancheepuram district, calling it ill-conceived and anti-people.

The party also passed several resolutions slamming both the DMK government at the state level and the BJP-led government at the Centre on various issues, including governance, infrastructure, and development failures.

The TVK also announced an aggressive grassroots expansion plan. Throughout July, the party will conduct meetings with booth-level agents and aims to enrol two crore members to build a robust cadre base. Public outreach programs are planned at zonal, district, and branch levels during July and August, as the party intensifies preparations for the upcoming electoral battle.

–IANS

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