From reel to CM chair: ‘Jana Nayagan’ Vijay's dramatic entry into Tamil Nadu politics

TAmilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) father and actor-turned-politician C chief joseph Vijay has made a historical electoral debut in the 2026 Tamil Nadu gathering elections by crosswalk the majority mark in trends as the Election Commission of India counts votes.Vijay, who himself is contesting from two seats, Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli (East), is leading from both places. If the counting trends turn into final results, Vijay is poised to become the first non-DMK, non-AIADMK chief minister of Tamil Nadu since 1967. Follow Tamil Nadu results LIVE updates here.Vijay launched his party TVK in 2024 and has been going to the public with a solo campaign, positioning himself as a "family member" in every Tamil household. Vijay’s campaign is aimed at providing a "whistle revolution" to oust the ruling DMK, which he has labelled an “evil force”.TVK has also denied going into a coalition with the BJP, whom ‘Thalapathy’ calls an "ideological enemy”.Vijay, the next CM of Tamil Nadu?Born in 1974, Joseph Vijay is the son of director SA Chandrasekhar. In his 2026 election affidavit, he declared assets worth over ₹624 crore, including movable assets of ₹404 crore, making him the wealthiest candidate in the fray. Now he looks poised to be the next CM of Tamil Nadu if the trends turn true.His personal life has also been in the spotlight following a divorce petition filed by his wife, Sangeetha, with whom he has a son, Jason Sanjay, and a daughter, Divya Sasha.Entry into politicsVijay’s entry into the political arena follows a high-profile transition from his acting career, where he was known as “Thalapathy”, which means commander. His dual-constituency strategy mirrors that of legendary leader Jayalalithaa in 1991, though his move has drawn criticism from DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin, who mocked the actor for having “one leg in each seat”.Despite facing a CBI investigation into the 2025 Karur stampede and delays in the release of his final film, Jananayakan, Vijay has maintained a "no alliance" stance, calling the BJP an "ideological enemy" and the DMK a “political enemy”.Vijay’s promisesA monthly handout of ₹2,500 for every woman in Tamil Nadu, ₹10,000 for unemployed graduates, a waiver for cooperative crop loans and a ministry of artificial intelligence – Vijay’s TVK made a raft of promises aimed at the southern state’s women, its farmers, and the younger population in its manifesto.Vijay, one of the state’s most popular actors, during the TVK’s election manifesto launch, said the document was based on the principles of the Tamil text Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar – aram (virtue), porul (wealth), and inbam (joy), qualities he called essential facets of politics and administration.The 95-page manifesto focused squarely on welfare, from handouts to loans.For women, the TVK promised ₹2,500 a month to women heads of families aged up to 60, six free LPG cylinders a year, a separate state government department to ensure their security and special women’s courts.It also promised a sovereign gold coin and a silk saree for every bride. Mothers, it said, will get a gold ring for the newborn. For girls up to Class 12, their mothers or guardians will receive ₹15,000 a year to reduce school dropouts. For women's self-help groups, the party promised a single financial handout of up to ₹5 lakh.For students between Class 12 and the PhD level, the party has promised collateral-free loans of up to ₹20 lakh and a ‘transparent’ timeline for all recruits in the Tamil Nadu government. It also vowed a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 for graduates and ₹2,500 for diploma holders.Vijay’s party also promised to generate income, even as it assured that it would cushion the unemployed and upskill workers. It said graduates receiving skill training will get ₹10,000 per month, and ITI diploma holders will get ₹8,000 per month. The party has promised to employ half a million young people at the village level as part of the “CM People Service Associate” programme, a job that will earn them ₹18,000 a month.The manifesto also urged and incentivised firms to hire locals. Companies that employ 75% local staff will receive a 2.5% GST subsidy and a5% rebate on electricity charges.A significant chunk of the manifesto is dedicated to farmers. The party promised a cooperative farm loan waiver for those who own up to 5 acres of land and a 50% waiver for those who own more than 5 acres. A legally guaranteed minimum support price of ₹3,500 for paddy and ₹4,500 per quintal for sugarcane. It promised to introduce a cultivator rights card that would provide ₹10,000 to tenant cultivators and farm labourers.The actor also promised a Citizen Privilege Card for each family to be able to avail the bouquet of the party’s promised government schemes, as well as the implementation of a “Right to Service Act”, which will codify and mandate the timely delivery of all government services. Citizens would be able to submit petitions directly to the state legislative assembly, and 500,000 responses will be taken up for discussion, and 10,000 signatures will trigger a “mandatory” government response.Vijay also promised to consider restoring the Old Pension Scheme – a consistent demand among workers in the southern state – and said all temporary employees who have completed 5 years will be regularised, as well as the implementation of a transparent transfer policy. For police personnel, he promised to increase the basic salary from ₹18,000 to ₹25,000, as well as add a ₹1,000 “high-stress allowance”.