As the special song for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) second state conference played, party president and actor Vijay appeared on stage and walked down a long ramp leading into the crowd, waving at thousands of supporters and fans gathered at Tamil Nadu’s Madurai, and greeting party leaders on the dais.
The second State-level conference of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), founded and led by actor Joseph Vijay, began with cultural performances by folk musicians as cheers rose from a sea of supporters who had gathered since the previous night. The venue, set up at Parapathi in Madurai district, had arrangements for over 1.5 lakh people and started to fill up from early morning on Thursday with cadres and fans eager to catch a glimpse of the party leader.
Vijay, 51, is to address his supporters while walking along a 300-metre-long ramp built through the centre of the venue. Hundreds of bouncers have been stationed on either side of the ramp to keep the cadres from surging forward.
It may be recalled that Vijay, one of Tamil cinema’s most celebrated actors, had announced his entry into electoral politics in February 2024 by launching Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Eight months later, the party held its first State-level conference at Vikravandi in Villupuram district on 27 October, which effectively served as the launchpad for his political career.
The second State conference comes just months ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, expected around April-May. Political observers are keenly watching what message Vijay will deliver to his cadres, particularly as he has been an outspoken critic of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the state and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre.
The actor arrived in Madurai late on Wednesday to a rousing welcome from fans and party workers, who had thronged the venue ahead of the meet. In an incident on Wednesday, a giant flagpole on which Vijay was scheduled to hoist the TVK flag collapsed and fell on a parked car, crushing the vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Vijay continues to balance his political activity with his film career and is currently working on his film Jananayakan, which is rumoured to be his final screen outing before fully transitioning to politics.
– Ends