2026 Tamil Nadu election: Fight confined between TVK, DMK, says actor Vijay

ACtor-politician Vijay on wed pitched his political company TVK as a warm alternative to the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, expression the electoral combat next year was confined only between these two parties.Regarding the September 27 Karur stampede that left 41 dead and over 60 injured, he said people were questioning the 'hasty' appointment of a one-member commission, since suspended by the Supreme Court, and top state government officials holding a press meet to explain the chronology of events that unfolded on that fateful day.The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam founder-chief was speaking at a special general council meeting of the party at a private hotel in this coastal town, about 50 km from Chennai.Vijay, who has been critical of the DMK, once agains slammed the ruling party and its president and Chief Minister M K Stalin.In an apparent reference to the post-stampede situation, he said the obstacles being faced by the party are temporary and that "we will shatter all of them."He reiterated that the fight in the 2026 Assembly election will be confined between DMK and TVK."The contest is between only two," he said and the party functionaries responded by saying "TVK and DMK.""This contest is going to get stronger. There will be 100 per cent win for TVK," Vijay asserted.On the Karur stampede, Vijay said it was an "indescribable anguish" for him following the death of near and dear ones.Taking the DMK government on over the issue, he said "the people are questioning the hasty appointment of the one member commission by the Tamil Nadu government to probe the stampede in Karur."Further questions were also raised over top IAS and IPS officials' press meet over the incident.As many as 41 people lost their lives while several others injured in the TVK rally led by Vijay on September 27 in Karur. The Tamil Nadu government constituted a one-member commission of inquiry headed by former Higher Court Judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the incident."The obstacles we are facing are temporary, will shatter all of them. When God and nature are standing with us in the form of people, who can stop us" he asked.At the beginning of the meeting, a two minute silence was observed for the 41 stampede victims.Earlier, the party unanimously adopted 12 resolutions at the general council. They include authorising the actor-politician to take a call on the party's alliance for next year's assembly polls and announced him as its Chief Ministerial candidate.