Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK scripted a historic breakthrough in Tamil Nadu, emerging as the single largest party and delivering a stunning defeat to the incumbent DMK and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in his Kolathur constituency, while the AIADMK slipped to a distant third. This marks the first time since 1967 that a party outside the two dominant Dravidian forces has taken the lead in the state.
In its debut election, TVK put up a remarkable performance, winning 89 seats and leading in 18 more in the 234-member Assembly at the time of writing this story. Vijay himself secured victories in both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East. The party also achieved nearly 35% vote share, positioning itself close to forming the government, just short of the 118-seat majority mark.
Stalin loses his seat
One of the biggest upsets was Stalin’s defeat in Kolathur by 8,795 votes to V.S. Babu, a relatively lesser-known candidate and former DMK member. Several senior ministers, including Geetha Jeevan and Ma Subramanian, also lost their seats, while Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin narrowly managed to secure a win after initially trailing.
As TVK surged ahead, celebrations erupted among supporters, with expectations that like-minded parties such as Congress, Left parties, IUML, VCK, and PMK—collectively holding or leading in 18 seats—may extend support. The result signals a potential new political chapter in Tamil Nadu, with TVK also becoming the first party to come this close to power within just over two years of its formation in February 2024.
DMK reduced to 48 seats
Meanwhile, DMK secured 48 seats and led in 12, while AIADMK won 41 and led in six, with its chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami registering a massive victory margin in his constituency. Accepting the verdict, Stalin said the DMK would now take on the role of a strong opposition, while Palaniswami also acknowledged the people’s mandate. Vijay’s victory drew widespread praise, including from film personalities like Rajinikanth, Dhanush, and Anirudh Ravichander, highlighting the scale of his political debut.
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