Chennai: Popular Tamil actor Vijay will on Thursday unveil and unfurl the flag of his political party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), in a prelude to its formal launch at a massive rally being planned in the last week of September in Vikravandi in northern Tamil Nadu.
Vijay, one of the highest-paid actors in India, had on February 2 announced his intention to launch TVK, becoming the latest star from the Tamil film industry to make the political plunge following his super seniors like M G Ramachandran, J Jayalalithaa, Vijayakant, and Kamal Haasan.
The launch of the party flag comes even as the process of registering TVK with the Election Commission of India (ECI) is at an “advanced stage.” Thursday’s event at TVK’s headquarters in Panayur on the scenic East Coast Road near Chennai is the first official event of the party, which will make its debut in the 2026 assembly elections.
“Vijay will introduce the flag and unfurl it from a flag post erected for the purpose on Thursday. He will also release a flag anthem on the occasion,” a source in the know told DH. The source added that the flag anthem was composed by popular music director S Thaman, while lyrics were penned by V Vivek.
Over 300 functionaries of TVK and Vijay Fan Club Associations have been invited to the event. “The yellow-colour flag is likely to figure Vijay’s image on it,” another source said.
The event will be followed by a “mega rally” being planned to be held in Vikravandi in Villupuram district on the Chennai-Tiruchirapalli National Highway in the last week of September. “Vijay will announce his party’s ideology and make his first political speech at the Vikravandi rally. Lakhs of his fans from across South India are expected to participate in the rally where he will outline his agenda for the 2026 polls,” the first source said.
After the rally, Vijay will begin shooting for his last film, albeit for now, which will go on till February 2025. “However, after the formal launch of the party in September, he will concentrate on both his film and the party. Once his film commitments are over in February, he will hit the ground and will be among the people,” the source added.
Vijay had in February said he would make use of the next two years to prepare his fans and supporters battle-ready for 2026, strengthening the party infrastructure, and elect office-bearers in a “democratic manner.”
Vijay’s political plunge is gutsy as no actor could recreate the MGR magic in about four decades in a state where over 75 per cent of the vote share is controlled by DMK and AIADMK, the Dravidian majors who have been ruling the state alternatively since 1967.
Published 20 August 2024, 14:27 IST