Tamil actor Thalapathy Vijay to dabble in politics

Chennai: Super star of Tamil movies, 'Thalapathy' Vijay is planning a political entry and is aiming to fill the vacuum caused by the passing away of towering leaders and former Chief Ministers, M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa.

Vijay on Saturday interacted with the first three rank holders in the Calss 10 and Class 12 examinations from all the Assembly constituencies of Tamil Nadu. The actor made all the arrangements for their travel, stay and other incidental expenses along with their parents in Chennai.

While interacting with the students, Vijay evoked the names of BR Ambedkar, Thiruvalluvar and Kamaraj, all highly-respected personalities in Tamil Nadu. He also called upon the children to advise their parents not to cast their precious votes by accepting money from different political parties.

The Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyyakam (TVMI), which is Vijay's fan club, has been active for the past few years in social activities. For the past few years, TVMI has been active in its social and community outreach across the state.

Sources close to the actor told IANS that Vijay is aiming to fill the vacuum created by the demise of towering leaders of Tamil politics, M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa.

As per the information he received following a detailed survey conducted at the grassroots level using a national agency of repute, other than Stalin, there is no leader with pan-Tamil Nadu presence at the moment.

Also, with the AIADMK bruised and battered following back-to-back electoral defeats since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there is no proper opposition to Stalin in Tamil Nadu.

Even though state BJP President Annamalai is trying hard to put up an opposition to Stalin, the BJP doesn't have strength across the state and hence he is not able to fit in as an opposition leader.

Sources in the TVMI told IANS that Vijay has met a few retired bureaucrats, journalists and some influential social and political leaders to discuss about his political entry. While the superstar is not planning a move ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he is clearly targeting the 2026 Assembly polls.

Vijay has taken a decision for a grand political entry after the reigning superstar of Tamil movie industry, Rajinikanth, backed out from making a political entry at the last moment after having serious discussions with the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah.

Vijay has reportedly studied the bylaws of both the Dravidian parties, DMK and AIADMK, and has asked his strategists to structure the new party's bylaw by blending the essence of the two Dravidian parties.

Vijay's fans had contested the 2021 rural body polls as Independents. As many as 129 of those who contested won the elections.

Bussy N. Anand, a former Congress MLA from Puducherry, is now the general secretary of TVMI. Anand is responsible for structuring the steps of Vijay's movement. However, he was not available for comments.

It has to be seen how the people of Tamil Nadu, who had accepted the transformation of MGR and Jayalalithaa from Tamil matinee idols to political leaders, takes the entry of Thalapathi Vijay in state politics.