VIDEO: Massive crowd gathers ahead of Vijay's TVK Maanadu in Madurai
Actor and TVK president Vijay is scheduled to address the cadres during the party's second State conference at an open ground in Parapathi of Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.
Why is today's Madurai conference significant for TVK?
This is the second large-scale state gathering of TVK since its launch, and it comes at a crucial time as the party gears up for its first-ever Tamil Nadu Assembly poll contest in 2026.
Vijay and his team are expected to use the event to consolidate support, energise cadres, and set the tone for a campaign that promises to challenge Tamil Nadu's traditional political order.
What is Vijay's political pitch?
At the launch of the party's exclusive membership app, 'Now TVK', on 13 August, Vijay compared the upcoming 2026 polls to two historic turning points in Tamil Nadu politics — 1967, when CN Annadurai's DMK rose to power, and 1977, when MG Ramachandran's AIADMK swept into office.
'In both these elections, newcomers opposed entrenched power and emerged victorious,' Vijay said, adding that his own party could script a similar chapter if it remains rooted in people's concerns. Quoting Annadurai, he urged TVK workers to 'go to people, live with them, learn from them and plan along with them.'
How does Vijay plan to reach voters?
The party's strategy has been branded as the 'Tamil Nadu in Victory Rally', under which cadres are tasked with reaching 'every town, street and house' to unite families as TVK members. The focus, Vijay has stressed, must be on grassroot-level engagement rather than mere political spectacle.
What controversies has Vijay raised recently?
The TVK leader has already sharpened his attack on the ruling MK Stalin-led DMK government, condemning the arrest of sanitation workers in Chennai. In a strongly worded post on X, Vijay called the action 'inhumane and anarchic,' describing it as an example of a 'fascist government' suppressing peaceful protests.
Can Vijay replicate the success of Tamil Nadu's past film stars in politics?
While Vijay draws frequent comparisons with leaders like Annadurai and MGR, analysts note a key difference: both those leaders had significant political experience before their decisive victories, whereas Vijay only formally entered politics in 2024.
Nonetheless, the scale of mobilisation around today's Madurai conference signals that his appeal remains strong among a section of the electorate.
What lies ahead?
With the 2026 Assembly elections still a year away, TVK has time to expand its organisational reach across the state. The Madurai conference is expected to provide a glimpse into the party's electoral narrative — a mix of anti-establishment rhetoric, grassroots mobilisation, and Vijay's star power.
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