Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Nov 5: Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Wednesday announced that the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections would be a “straight contest” between his party and the ruling DMK, declaring himself as TVK’s Chief Ministerial candidate.

Addressing a packed special general council meeting in Mamallapuram, Vijay said he was “hundred per cent confident” of victory and that TVK was ready to face the polls as a fully prepared political force.

The event marked his first major public address since the Karur stampede tragedy on September 27, which claimed 41 lives during a TVK rally. The session began with a two-minute silence in memory of the victims.

Calling the Karur incident a “temporary hurdle” allegedly “engineered by the ruling DMK ecosystem,” Vijay accused the government of mishandling the tragedy and attempting to exploit it politically. He alleged that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the DMK had tried to “tarnish TVK’s image” by forming a one-member inquiry commission and deploying senior officials to influence public perception.

During his speech, Vijay also cited Supreme Court observations in connection with the case, asserting that the truth would “vindicate TVK and expose the government’s manipulation.”

More than 2,000 delegates, including district secretaries and senior office-bearers, attended the meeting, which party insiders described as a turning point in TVK’s evolution from a movement into an electoral challenger.

The council adopted 12 key resolutions, outlining TVK’s political and ideological roadmap. Among them was a demand that the Election Commission of India immediately suspend the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that legitimate voters could be disenfranchised.

Concluding his address, Vijay said the Karur tragedy had only strengthened the party’s determination.

“We have learned painful lessons, but we will move forward with greater discipline, unity, and resolve to serve the people,” he said, earning thunderous applause from the delegates.

With this announcement, the TVK has officially entered the 2026 electoral race as an independent force — setting the stage for a high-stakes political showdown between Vijay’s rising party and the ruling DMK.